


Dragon Silk

by pandorasxbox



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Betrayal, Dragons, Falling In Love, Friendship, Loyalty, M/M, Magic, Sex, Spells & Enchantments, Torture, Trust, dis and frerin are fili's parents, fili is a dragon prince, greed - Freeform, kili is a human prince, saruman elrond gandalf galadriel yavanna are dragon leaders, thorin is king and kili's father
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-08-20
Packaged: 2018-04-03 04:34:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 51,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4087024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandorasxbox/pseuds/pandorasxbox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the leader of the black dragons, Saruman fell into darkness accepting an unholy gift of power, the Arkenstone, the other dragon clans tried to take the magical item to save him from the darkness only to feel his wrath. A battle ensued between the black dragons and the other dragon clans leaving thousands of dragons dead or dying. </p><p>The golden dragon clan suffered as much as the black dragon clan leaving very few of their young alive. Fili was the youngest of the golden dragons, and the last royal of his kind. When Saruman vowed to wipeout the few golden dragons left in Middle Earth, Fili’s father, the leader of the goldens had an enchantment place upon his son to allow him to hide safely in the forest, and live amongst mortal men and elves until the black dragon had been defeated.</p><p>On the day the human prince, Kili had gotten lost while hunting in the forest, he was rescued by Fili, a beautiful golden haired man with an enchanted secret. Over time, friendship and loyalty are put to the test, and an unlikely bond forms between the two. But the one thing Kili wants most, is the one thing Fili cannot give his mortal lover...his heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the dragons and dragon lore from World of Warcraft  
> Disclaimer: I do not own any of these Tolkien/Jackson characters nor do I have claims to any of the lore belonging to Blizzard Entertainment.

Middle Earth was once solely inhabitant by dragons before immortal elves and mortal humans populated their world. The dragons controlled many elements of life sustaining Middle Earth. They themselves had clans separating them for what powers they were the keepers of. The golden dragons were the keepers of time and treasure. They were the most vulnerable to the humans of all the dragon clans because the humans hunted them, tracking them to their treasure hordes to steal their gold, and kill them for their golden hides. The elves were just as guilty also seeking the gems the dragons possessed. 

Humans were greedy and the dragons loathed them for the evil their greed spawned in them. Men and elves waged war for riches. Men even killed each other for gold and gems. As the dragons became weary of life with these beings, they began keeping their treasure hordes hidden and protected by magic deep within their caves. In time, the treasures disappeared along with the dragons.

Far removed from the lands of men and elves, the dragons built vast underground caves protected by magic. Hiding away for centuries, the dragons became nothing more legends and myths of which bedtime fairytales were written. For the dragons rarely ventured beyond their caves far removed from the men and elves keeping onto their own for safety. But there would come a day when the dragons and humans would meet again.

~`~

“It has come to my attention that Saruman seems to have been tainted by an unspeakable evil. That talisman he was given by Melkor has corrupted his heart and mind. If we do not get that stone away from him, he may never return from darkness and could destroy us all!” The leader of the golden dragons, King Frerin, had spoken. His stern commanding voice echoed in the vast cave filled with his clan as well as the leaders of the other dragon clans. 

Keeper of knowledge, leader of the red dragon, Elrond stepped forward. “I have read through many scrolls to find knowledge of this powerful item. With the Arkenstone in his possession, there is no way of returning Saruman to the kind and caring dragon he once was. We must get that talisman and destroy it before he can use it to destroy us!”

Lady Galadriel, keeper of dreams and visions, leader of the white dragons spoke up. “I have had a vision of the destruction Saruman will cause if we do not stop him. Dragons and mortals alike will be destroyed and Middle Earth will burn with fire from the sky!”

The giver and keeper of life, the green dragon leader, Yavanna sat up tall stretching her long sinewy neck looking over the crowded cave of dragons. “All life will be destroyed. It will be the end of Middle Earth, but we can stop this from happening if we all work together!”

The smallest of the golden dragons, the royal Prince Fili cowered behind his mother, Queen Dis. She smiled down at her son trying to hide under his protective wing. “Are we all going to die Mamma?”

“No, my son. Our clans will fight together to end this evil.” Dis looked to her noble husband, standing proud before them all. “Your father will see to it. Hopefully we can spare Saruman’s life and bring him back to his senses to be the great dragon he once was.”

Frerin bellowed. “Elrond speaks truth. The Arkenstone must be destroyed once and for all, so that no mortal or dragon should ever fall under its dark cursed spell ever again!”

“Mamma? What would happen if a human or elf had the Arkenstone?” Fili asked curiously, for he had never seen an elf or human in his lifetime.

Dis felt a cold shiver run up her spine from the tip of her long graceful tail as she wrapped it around her son for comfort. “I would hate to think of a human or elf in control of such a powerful item. Humans do not understand magic at all, and the elves are limited in their knowledge of magic for they are still a young race. Either way Fili, that stone is evil and must be destroyed. It can only mean the end of all life in the possession of anyone being.”

A grey dragon called out from the crowd. “Gandalf! Is there nothing you can do? Is there nothing all of us grey dragons of magic can do to stop him? Place him under a spell long enough to just take the Arkenstone from him and destroy it!” 

Murmurs throughout the gathering of dragons began to rumble as Gandalf, leader of the grey dragons, keeper of magic, silenced them with a loud booming voice. “No! You do not know the immense power this stone contains! There is nothing any of us can do on our own. Not even with magic. As Yavanna said, we must all work together to end this evil!”

Frerin quieted the gathering of dragons to declare war on Saruman and the black dragon clan for they all had been touched by the Arkenstone’s evil power, though not to the degree of its master puppet. 

The golden dragons lost so many in battle. War raged on for many months in the far reaching corners of Middle Earth. As a lull in their battles came, Saruman was enraged when his son had been brutally killed in battle. He vowed to wipe out what was left of the golden dragons for they were the ones who killed his son. 

Dis looked to her husband with fear in her blue kaleidoscope eyes ever changing with the light. "Frerin! What are we going to do? We must protect Fili somehow!" 

Gandalf closed his expansive wings on landing next to Dis and Frerin. "Gandalf, you must help us. Is there a protection spell, something, anything you can do to protect Fili from Saruman?" 

The large grey dragon snorted smoke from his nostrils and grinned. "I have the perfect enchantment to keep your boy safe, but there is a catch. You will not be allowed to see him until Saruman has been defeated or you will jeopardize him." 

Frerin and Dis were desperate in hopes to save their son's life. "Anything! What can you do?" 

"I can place an enchantment upon Fili, transforming him into a human so he could live amongst the humans in safety far from Saruman's reach or knowledge of his whereabouts." Gandalf took the nod of agreement as a sign to begin his task. 

Dis tried to explain to Fili the best she could that this was the only way of protecting him for now, and that he wouldn't be this way forever and would return home to them as soon as it was safe again. Fili cried and nuzzled against his mother. Accepting this was the right thing to do, the little golden dragon stood before the all powerful grey dragon of magic waiting for the spell to transform him. 

For a shearing moment Fili felt pain before he awoke lying on the ground naked and cold. Looking up at the three enormous dragons standing before him, he cried some more feeling incredibly vulnerable in this body. How could the dragons have ever been so afraid of humans? He wondered, for they were so small in comparison. 

Fili said good-bye to his parents before climbing onto Gandalf's who flew off with him soaring over the forests searching with sharp eyes for the perfect place for the little dragon to begin his new life. Not wanting to get too close to the land of the humans, the grey dragon finally landed. 

Gandalf transformed himself into a human form much to Fili's surprise. "How did you do that?"

"Magic of course!" The old dragon chuckled. "I will help you set up your new home, and get settled in, but first...we must get you some clothes my boy. Humans do not wander around naked! That would be reason enough to call attention to yourself, and for that matter you are, might I say, a very fine looking young human male!" 

Fili had never blushed before, but as a human he felt his cheeks growing warm for even as a dragon the compliment embarrassed him. 

After battling against the rain and cold, the two worked into the late hours of night with a little magical help to speed up some projects, Fili had a small cabin home, a fire burning in the hearth and some food to last at least a week. Gandalf gave him a crash course on how humans behave, gave him a list of things he would still need to get, and gave him one last gift. 

"What is this?" Fili lifted the small trinket Gandalf placed around his neck dangling from a fine leather strap. 

"You will only become a dragon again when Saruman has either been defeated or the talisman has been destroyed. With this magical trinket, you will be able to transform yourself if you ever truly need to do so before the enchantment has been removed. But know this. If you do, you will never able to become human again and remain a dragon forever." 

With a quizzical youthful mind, Fili began to ask, "But you..." 

"I'm a magical being, Fili. Transforming is a part of who the grey dragons are! How do you think we know so much about the men and elves being so far removed from where they live, hmm?" The grey grinned mischievously. "Don't worry Fili. I'll be back to check on you from time to time making sure you're well." Clamping a hand on the boy's shoulder he said his good-byes, and went outside to transform into his dragon form once more. 

As soon as Gandalf had flown out of sight, Fili felt so empty and alone as the rains returned. So far from home, his parents and all the other dragons he'd known. Being thrown into this world as a human having to learn how to live like one of them and fend for himself frightened him as he snuggled into his bed pulling up the blanket to feel safe and warm. He prayed the dragons wouldn't take long to end their war with Saruman and the black dragons. He wished for nothing more than to go home. 

"How could anything good come from being human?" He wondered. Somehow his predicament would end in disaster he just knew it, but he kept faith that his parents would never do anything to put him in harms way. What they did, they did out of love to keep him safe because that's what parents do.

~`~

A war that neither men nor elves had any knowledge of raged on. The dragon clans fought together valiantly against the black dragon clan. Ironically the black dragons were the keepers of destruction. Their powers were meant to control destructive powers on Middle Earth. Violent storms that filled the skies and hurricanes that rocked the ocean waters had always been kept at bay by the black dragons, but now they used their powers to turn the violent storms against the other dragons in efforts to destroy them. 

Though the humans were not directly involved with this epic battle of the dragons, they were feeling the brunt of the storms. The torrential rains fells relentlessly from the sky. The forest creeks had begun to overflow.

"Prince Kili!" A guardsman shouted as he rode along with dozens of others in search of their lost prince. Kili had been on a hunting expedition, and had been separated from his party for hours. Much to the dismay of guardsmen, they could find no trace of him. 

The king's brother-in-arms, leader of their army, Dwalin rode up next to the guard. "No sign of him yet?" 

The guard shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Sir." 

"King Thorin will have your head for this! Letting his boy out of your sight like that!" Dwalin growled. Riding off back toward the mountain fortress, Dwalin tried to figure out how he was going to tell his best friend, his king that his son was lost in the forest during this storm of the century. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili tries to find shelter - Fili has his first encounter with a human...Prince Kili.

Even with the hood of his cloak up, Kili was soaked and chilled to the bone from the rain pelting him. Lost wandering about the forest, the young prince had his directions all confused not sure anymore in what direction he should be walking toward. 

When night fell and the rains let up some, Kili knew he needed to find some sort of shelter for the night. There were no caves or cliffs, just trees. Endless trees. He thanked the gods he hadn’t had a run in with any wild animals in the dark, though he kept his sword at the ready.

Slipping and sliding through the muddy hillside, he could feel he was indeed traveling further away from his home. This wasn’t good. If his hunting party and guards couldn’t find him by nightfall, what were the odds they would find him at all, he wondered. “I’ll be stranded out here in the middle of nowhere forever. I’m going to die alone out here!” 

Finally the rain had stopped just as he made his way over a small grade in the landscape. The gods must have answered his pleas for help. Ashes rose from a chimney in the dark of night, Kili make out what appeared to be a small cabin.

“Hopefully whoever lives there will let me in. Certainly they would let me in if they recognize me!” Running through the muck and mud, Kili landed perfectly in a trap swinging him upside down his sword flew from his hand. Dangling from a tree high above the ground, the young prince yelled for help hoping someone in the little cabin would hear him. “Please! Help! Somebody! I’m caught in a trap! Help me!” 

Awakening Fili’s eyes fluttered open upon hearing the shouts for help. He was frightened realizing those calls for help were most definitely not coming from a wild animal, but a _human!_ Feeling bad for the unfortunate being, the wary dragon tried to ignore the pleas covering his head with his blanket, but could still hear the man. 

Knowing morning was still a long way off, Fili sat up and thought about how he was going to approach his snared victim. That man’s carrying on was going to keep him awake all night, so he was going to have to get him down somehow and send him on his way. 

Lit by the firelight burning in his hearth, Fili saw the magical sword Gandalf had fashioned for him leaning against the wall. Taking a deep breath, he dressed and grasped the sword lightly. Being a strong virile young dragon, he was naturally transformed into a very strong and fit young human. 

Swinging the sword around a few times to get comfortable with the weight of the weapon, it felt feather light as he twisted it about with ease. Fili never thought for a moment he had never used any weapon before the way he seemed so skilled with this one. 

This gave the young dragon confidence heading out the door of the cabin for his first encounter with a human. He had been a somewhat shy and scared little dragon, but somehow felt invincible hiding inside his new human body. At first he was a bit concerned seeing the young man thrashing about frantically trying to free himself from the rope holding him hostage, but then Fili snickered at him getting a better look at him.

Sopping wet, a bit scared, and completely frazzled, the young man swung upside down looking pitiful and helpless as he spoke breathlessly worn out. “Oh thank Mahal you’ve come to rescue me from this insidious trap! I thought I was going to die up here!”

“Die? You’ve only been up there for a few minutes!” _‘Men must weak. Seriously, why are the dragons so afraid of them!’_ Raising his sword, Kili’s eyes went wide at the sight of Fili’s weapon fearing he was about to be sliced in half by this mountain man, but instead he fell swiftly to the ground with a thud.

 _‘Finally it stopped making noise!’_ Fili thought. Now maybe he’ll go away and he could get some sleep. Without a word Fili began walking back to his cabin, but stopped hearing Kili call out to him. “Where are you going? You’re not just going to leave me out here like this are you?”

“What am I supposed to do with you? I cut you down so you could be on your way, so…be gone!” Fili made a gesture with his, waving the man on.

“Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you recognize me?” It was extremely dark, the prince would give him that, but still. “I’m Prince Kili! I’ve been lost in the forest for many, many hours, and I’m soaked from the rain and I’m freezing to death!”

Fili wasn’t feeling so sympathetic considering all he had been through this day. Without so much a as a single word in response, the little golden blond man turned and went inside his cabin slamming the door behind him. 

Kili was shocked. Lying on the squishy wet ground, he cursed under his breath. Taking out one of his hunting knives, he was able cut off the rope that remained knotted around his ankle, and searched the ground for his sword. 

Just as Fili was about crawl back into bed, he heard a pounding on his door. With a sigh, he opened the door. Just as he tried to close it again when he saw Kili standing there, the soaked pissed off young man threw a foot in the door and tried to push it back keeping the door open. 

“What is wrong with you? Why won’t you let me in? I told you I’m lost and I need shelter for the night!” Kili couldn’t believe anyone would turn someone is his condition away.

“How is it my problem you’re such a dumbass you got lost in the forest in the first place?” Fili wanted nothing to do with this stupid human, and enough was enough already. 

Mouth gaping, the young human royal was flabbergasted. “You can’t speak to me that way! I’m a prince!”

“So am I! Now get out!” Fili pushed the tenacious young man out of his cabin and slammed the door. 

The young dragon had only taken a few steps from the door, when Kili burst through it barreling at the little blond knocking themselves onto the bed pinning Fili beneath him. They laid there staring into one another’s eyes lit by the fire. Panting heavily Kili quietly pleaded. “Please, I’m begging you…please let me stay!”

Something about Kili’s weight upon his body caused strange feelings to stir within him. Fili looked up at the rain soaked prince lying on top of him. His long raven hair framing his beautiful face dripping on his chest, and his large brown eyes looking truly desperate and scared, he saw him in a different light. How could he turn him away? Fili reached up to pad his fingers along Kili's lightly bearded cold cheek, he replied softly, “Please don’t go…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for the comments and kudos! Comments are welcome!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili's curiosity causes him to fight unwanted feelings for Kili, and Thorin sends out a search party.

If it wasn’t for the awkward neediness of the situation, Kili may have felt differently about landing on top of this commoner. Long golden curls splayed on the mattress looked like spun angel silk and eyes of crystal blue drew him in as the man beneath him touched his cheek. 

For a moment Kili wanted to return the gesture, to touch Fili’s thicker beard and wondered if those moustache braids would tickle if they were to kiss.

“I’m sorry.” Trying in vain to regain some dignity, Kili slowly pushed himself off the blond man making an effort to pull himself together. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to be rude, but I-I’m desperate. I’ve never begged anyone for help before. I just need shelter for the night. I promise I'll be on my way in the morning. May we start over? Please?" Fili tipped his head curiously. "My name is Kili. Prince Kili of Erebor. And you are?”

Gandalf had warned Fili not to trust humans, and not to carry on long conversations with them. He was to limit his time spent with any one human he may come in contact with fearing something he might say or do would give up any secrets he may hold concerning himself, or in fact the existence of dragons. Keeping onto himself in the mountains far from the nearest human settlement with little or no chance for contact was what was best for the young dragon. But this human accidentally found him, and needed him.

Fili swallowed thickly trying to shake the strange feelings he was having for this inept human. “Fili. I'm not really a prince, I just said that when you pissed me off trying to force your way into my home. Forgive me for not being more understanding of your situation, but I've had quite a day myself. I could use some company. I would very much like you to stay with me. For now. At least until the skies have cleared enough for you to try and find your way home.” 

With a deep sigh of relief, Kili thanked the beautiful blond man, and looked about the one room cabin as he went to close the door. He removed the quiver and bow slung over his back, picked up his sword and laid them together in the corner against the wall. 

Taking note of the emptiness of the man’s humble living small space, he didn't see a wash tub. There was only an iron pot hanging over the fire in the hearth, a small table with one chair, and one full size bed. “Do you have a place to wash?”

Fili quirked his head. “Wash what?”

“My…self? I’d like to bathe and wash this mud off.”

“That’s what the creek is for.” The dragon never knew there was any other way to bathe. 

Feeling a bit frustrated with the fact he was not going to bathe in warm water, Kili still wanted and needed to get out of his wet clothes. "Do you not have a clothesline either?”

Being his first day as a human, there were most likely a lot of things Fili didn’t have or had even thought of yet, so he suggested the obvious, “Lay them on the floor.” 

Kili didn't see any clothing drawers, or any clothes period lying around other than the ones Fili was stripping off his body throwing onto the floor without any amount of discreet modesty. Dragons didn’t wear clothing and knew nothing of modesty. Fili only knew Gandalf had told him he needed to wear clothing to protect his delicate human skin, and as a human male he must keep his manhood covered in public and at all times around females.

Thinking nothing of his naked state standing completely bare in front of the young prince, Kili’s mouth gaped open at the sight of the well endowed perfect muscular form before him. 

Gesturing toward the fireplace, Fili instructed, “Just lay them out there by the fireplace, they should dry in no time.” Crawling back under the blanket, the blond made himself comfortable ignoring whatever the human planned to do.

Beginning the task of disrobing, Kili took off his long overcoat and short jacket, to hang over the single wooden chair before removing his leather belt and boots which he laid on the hearth closer to the fire. Pulling off his tunic he smoothed it out on the floor, and stood to begin untying the laces of his trousers. 

Kili hesitated seeing Fili open his eyes to see what progress the man had made. The dragon studied the young man’s lithe body. He had never seen a human until today, and for a human, this male was exceptionally inviting to admire, he thought. His toned biceps and tight abs gave the blond reason to want to see more watching the raven haired prince lower his trousers and undergarments.

His eyes followed the trail of fine dark hair down his abs to his long flaccid cock lying over his rather large sack. Fili had never been aroused like this before, and never had such an overwhelming urge to mate as his cock grew hard with each passing second staring at this male. He knew he couldn’t act upon these lustful desires, and didn't understand why this was happening. Readily turning await from the dark haired prince, Fili chastised himself. _'Kili's human! What's wrong with me?'_

Lying in the middle of the mattress, the blond sprawled across it taking up the majority of its space. Naked and shivering, Kili stood next to the bed hugging himself trying to stay as warm as possible. "Aren't you going to move over so I can get in?" 

"No! It's my bed! You can sleep on the floor." The dragon snapped, and didn't budge. 

"I can't sleep on the floor! Please, Fili! I'm freezing and need to warm up!" Kili most definitely didn't want to sleep on the hard wooden floor, and lying next to Fili would help warm his chilled body.

This human was driving Fili insane with all his needs, but then he pondered what the man might truly want. "A soft bed you seek, or a warm body you desire?" His curiosity piqued wondering how the man's body would feel against his own. 

Rolling over making room for Kili, the dragon's crystal blue eyes enticed the raven haired prince to slide under the blankets next to him. "Both, thank you! I am chilled to the bone, and since you didn't have a wash tub for me to soak in some warm water..." Kili scooted closer to him. "you can warm me instead." 

Fili hissed feeling the chill of Kili's cold skin pressing against his backside. It was nice at first, but then his heart beat faster as his cock unexpectedly began to grow. "Kili...I-I don't think that is a good idea." 

"Hmm, yes, it is, you're sooo warm!" Kili hummed wrapping an arm around Fili snuggling him bringing their bodies flush together. The young man shivered at the intense heat radiating from the blond. Instantly upon feeling the man's cock press against his ass, Fili tried to pull away. 

"What are you doing?!" The young dragon panicked, and was confused by the way his body was responding to Kili, and wanted it to stop.

"I wasn't going to try anything! I'm sorry, I should have realized living alone here in the mountains, you probably haven’t been with anyone in quite some time.” Kili removed his arm and slightly backed away. 

"No. I haven't." He growled. Fili had no intentions of letting a human claim his virginity. In fact, the dragon was very young by dragon standards, and dragons would only mate when they had found their life partners that they would be bound to.

The kind and gentle red dragon, Arwen was the keeper of love and hearts, and only she would know when love was true and meant to be allowing a dragon to give their heart to another. Only with her blessing would a couple be bound together becoming one forever. 

Tucking the blanket between their bodies, Fili calmly expressed his concerns. "Forgive me for thinking ill of your actions. I admit I wanted to feel your skin against mine, but I do not wish to mate until I've found my one. The one that truly holds my heart, as I do theirs." It may have sounded strange to a human, but it meant a lot to a dragon. Only problem was, he wasn't a dragon at the moment, and there wasn't anything stopping Fili from acting upon that which he desired in human form. 

"I-I really wasn't trying to have sex with you, and I certainly didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I'm so very cold, and you're so incredibly warm...back home, I have a bed slave to keep me warm like this, and well, I apologize again. I honestly didn't mean to give you the wrong idea or disrespect you in any way." Being more perceptive than Fili thought, Kili quirked an eyebrow in question, though he asked jokingly with a playful grin to lighten the mood, "And what you said. That is a noble notion for a commoner. Are you sure you are not a prince in hiding?" 

~`~

With word that Kili had gone missing, lost in the forest alone during the storm, King Thorin was enraged. Not only was he angry the men in the hunting party had lost his son, he was deeply worried about him, and rightfully so. Spoiled and pampered, Kili had everything done for him since the day he was born. Even on hunting trips, he brought along his personal servant, Dori to tend to his every need while at camp, and certainly had never fended for himself in the wild. 

"Kili will never survive out there alone! How did this happen!" Shaking with anger, the king's fury exploded on those in his throne room. 

"Dwalin! Gather your men for a search party. Leave at dawn, scour the entire area west of here. No one shall return to Erebor without my son, is that clear?" Thorin would have no mercy on those who lost his son if he was not found or worse. "If any harm has come to him, I will personal remove the heads of the ones responsible for losing him myself!"

At the first light of dawn, just as Thorin ordered, Dwalin and his best and most loyal guards and warriors rode out toward the western forest where the hunting party last saw Kili the day before. 

The rains returned once again. By late morning, the thunderstorms began again. Dwalin pulled up the hood of his cloak, and prayed to Mahal for the rains to cease. Horses were slipping on the muddy hill side trails making their travels difficult. The large warrior shook his head. "Where are you Kili?" 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new friendship is forming as Fili and Kili begin to understand one another, while the search for Kili continues.

No sooner had Fili awaken to the late morning sun with hopes the dragons may have made some progress in defeating the black dragon clan, the storm clouds returned with a vengeance. The battle between the dragon clans began raging on once again far to the west from the human lands. 

Crackling lightning lit the dark morning skies before crashing with an echoing boom. Kili wrapped around Fili clinging for dear life. Fili pulled at the fingers digging into his flesh. "What! What’s wrong with you? What is it now? " The annoyed dragon grumbled.

"The thunder and lightning frightened me! I don't like storms, they scare me!" Removing his grip on the blond, Fili scooted across the mattress away from him. 

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Kili. It's just the elements." The wise dragon patiently explained. "Thunder is just the noise made by lightning as it cuts through the air." 

"You're pretty smart for a mountain man." Though Fili didn't think the young prince was very smart, he was intelligent on the things that mattered to his position as heir to throne. 

"Hmm, yes...I'm very in tune with nature. Living here alone in the forest 'n all.” The dragon knew more about nature than he wanted to let on. 

Lightning struck the earth again without warning as it rumbled and roared through the forest. Natural reaction to the loud thunderous noise had Kili clinging to Fili once more. Fili peeled the panic stricken man off of him, and crawled out of bed. “Kili, I don’t believe this storm is going to stop anytime soon, so you best get used to it.” 

“What are you doing?” Curious eyes followed the man across the room. 

“I’m hungry.” The dragon answered as he began to dress.

With the thought of food his stomach rumbled. Kili quickly sat up in bed with a pleased smile. “I’m hungry too! What are you making us for breakfast? What’s that in the pot?”

Snarling at the pot over the fire, Fili wrinkled his nose. “ _Vegetables._ Not very good. I need meat! And NO, I'm not making _you_ breakfast!" 

Watching Fili putting on his fur lined leather coat, the anxious young man questioned the unthinkable. “You’re going out…there? In the storm?”

“How else am I supposed to catch breakfast? You ruined my trap!” If it wasn't for that stupid human falling into his trap, he could've had a large delectable animal swinging from the trees right now. 

“Catch, breakfast?” Breakfast had always been served on a tray, and the prince never gave it much thought of the actual work it took to bring it to him. 

“Since you ruined my trap by getting snared in it, I need to hunt for a deer, a bear, mountain lion or something! I was hungry last night, and I ate all the rabbits and squirrels I had that was supposed to last a week. It was nothing more than a snack.” Even in human form the young dragon had a voracious appetite.

“You, uh, you ate a week’s worth of meat?” Kili asked curiously. He had no idea. 

“All the work I did yesterday made me very hungry, and I’m ready to eat again. Do you want something or not?” The dragon snapped.

“Yes! I’m starving!”

“Then get dressed.” Gathering a few clothing items from the floor, Fili threw them at the lad hitting him in the face and chest.

Kili looked at his clothes lying in his lap. “For what?”

“You’re a hunter, aren’t you? We’re going hunting!” This human was undeniably dense. 

"But it’s storming! And I just got warm and dry again!” The spoilt prince whined much to Fili's dismay. 

“If you want to eat, then you’re going to help me, _Prince!_ I’m not your servant!” The dragon roared with aggravation.

Reluctantly Kili left the delightfully warm cozy bed to pull on his somewhat chilly dry clothes. Looking at his empty quiver, he recalled being flipped upside down in Fili’s trap losing the few arrows he had left. “I, uh, need to find my arrows, and later I’ll need to make some new ones.”

“Don’t worry about the arrows. Use your sword for now.” Seeing the doubt veiling Kili’s expression as the young man handled his sword, Fili wasn’t so sure of his abilities with the weapon. “You’re not confident with your sword, are you?”

Dropping his gaze downward gripping the sword a bit tighter he twirled it about once. “Not really. I’m good with it, but I prefer my bow, especially for hunting.” 

“Yes. Range weapons are better for hunting large animals." Fili softened his manner with the apprehensive prince. "When the storms let up, I’ll help you with your sword technics.” Fili was already looking forward to this lesson.

“Yes, I’d like that. Thank you.” A slight smile tugged at his lips with much appreciation, and with the offer, hope for a new friendship. 

~`~

After hours of wandering the forest enduring the cold blowing rains, the two hunters realized the storm must had sent a lot of animals into hiding since none were to be found until at last a stray doe appeared alone after the rains let up some giving them a brief window of opportunity.

Kili was relieved their prey wasn’t a bear or mountain lion. With Fili’s instructions, and the hunter following through, the two took down their first kill together. “Well done!” Fili gave the prince a compliment to boost his confidence in his abilities with the sword.

“Now we just need to haul her back to the cabin.” Slipping in the mud carrying the heavy carcass made their way back to the cabin an exhausting feat for Kili. 

The prince, of course, had never worked quite so hard in his life. At this point, being thoroughly soaked again, mud mattered not when the worn out young royal plopped onto the ground leaning against the cabin. Fili tipped his head. “We’re not done yet. We still have to skin the deer.”

Kili panted heavily as he made a confession. “I just need a moment…and to be quite honest…I don’t know how to skin an animal.”

Raising an eyebrow, the dragon questioned him. “I thought you were a hunter?”

Feeling a bit ashamed to call himself a hunter now, he admitted the truth. “I am. I hunt, I kill, and the others in my hunting party do all the menial labor of skinning and preparing the carcass.”

Fili grimaced mumbling to himself. _‘ I should’ve known.’_ “I see you have a skinning knife you're obviously not going to use, give it to me. I’ll show you how it’s done.” 

“Where is your knife?”

Unfortunately it was one of the many items the dragon didn’t have as an oversight, and thought to answer quickly. “I lost it the other day, and haven’t been able to make a new one yet.” 

Handing over his knife, the grateful prince offered. “Keep it. I never use it. You’ll need it more than I ever will.” Taking the blade, Fili gave a nod of appreciation and went to work on the carcass.

Kili sneezed and shivered from the cold. Fili didn’t know about human illness, and wondered curiously about the young human’s condition. “Are you alright? You look pale.”

“It’s from all this cold and wetness. I think I’m becoming ill with a cold.” Pulling his knees closer to his chest, Kili wrapped his arms around them making a place to rest his head for a moment.

Fili felt bad making this frail human weather the storm, unknowing he could get sick from it. “Go inside and dry off. Warm yourself, and I’ll take care of this.” Kili appreciated the offer, going inside to pull off all the wet clothing, hanging them up again to dry before hiding under the warm blankets again.

~`~

Hours later, the dragon had finished with their kill. Realizing he had been so engrossed in his work that he forgot about Kili, he ran inside to check on him. The raven haired prince was snuggled in a ball in the middle of the bed. 

Fili sighed with relief the human wasn’t dead. Dragons rarely got sick, and the few dragon he knew that had gotten sick had died from their illness. Knowing Kili was alright, Fili tossed some meat in the pot, and went back outside.

Finding the perfect wood, he used the tools Gandalf left him in a box next to the cabin to make a few things he would need, to create a special surprise for his guest to find when he woke up.

Kili had slept for many hours through the day, and when he opened his eyes, he smiled at the sight of the golden dragon sitting on the bed next to him. 

“You’re watching me?” Kili thought Fili looked like an angel sitting there keeping vigil over him. 

“Making sure you’re still breathing. Are you feeling better?” The dragon's concern for the young human was true. 

“Yes. Thank you.” His concern was kind and welcomed. 

“I have something for you. Look.” Kili looked toward the fireplace where Fili was pointing. A wooden tub filled with warm water awaited him.

A pleasing smile of gratitude spread across his lips. “You built that? For me?”

Fili nodded. “I knew the filth and the cold was making you ill, and I don’t want you to die.” The dragon didn't know the different degrees of human illnesses. 

“It’s wonderful! Thank you so very much!” Excitedly Kili threw the blankets back and climbed into the tub feeling extremely relaxed in the extra warm water soothing his aching muscles and the light steam clearing his head. 

“Are you comfortable now?” Fili asked curiously as he went to kneel beside the wooden tub. He had never bathed in a tub of warm water before, but assumed it was pleasurable seeing the prince clearly enjoying himself by the little humming noises he made.

“Very. The only thing that could make this any better would be some lavender…and you.” The sparkled in Kili's eyes had returned sending a shiver of a different kind through Fili who blushed at the suggestion.

“There’s not much room for two in there.” Watching Kili dip under the water to rinse his hair, Fili’s crystal blue eyes were fixed on the young human male’s glistening wet body as he resurfaced squeezing the excess water from his raven hair that turned very curly with the dampness.

“Sure there is. Maybe another day.” The sentiment gave Fili the impression his guest planned on staying longer than expected, and that was perfectly fine by him. 

~`~

That evening going to bed, Fili tucked the blankets between them as he didn’t the night before making sure their bodies wouldn’t touch again as they spoke quietly. 

Kili admired his new friend, and praised him. “I want to thank you again for building the tub for me so I could take a proper bath. You did all this even after long hours of hunting and preparing the deer. You work so hard.”

“A task is a task no matter how hard it is. If something needs done, you do what needs to be done. It is that simple, and I’d never ask anyone to do anything for me.” Dragons never shied from working hard, and Fili was young with endless strength and stamina.

The statement humbled the prince feeling less of himself. “I was raised with everyone doing everything for me, and believed I am deserving of it because I'm royal. However, seeing how hard you work living here alone, I've learned why it’s important to know how to do things for yourself, and how gratifying it is to see what you've accomplished. I want you to teach me more...and I'd like to learn more about you.”

Fili felt a familiar rush of warmth returning to his cheeks with a shy grin. “I have much to learn too, Kili. You are kind and needy under that arrogant way of yours. Maybe in time we can learn from one another.” Drifting off to sleep lying next to the young male, the dragon was content with his new life knowing he had a new friend to help him as much as he could help the human in return hoping Kili would stay with him longer than he first wished.

~`~

One of the guards rode up next to Dwalin leading their way through the forest. “What is it, Nori?”

Nori spoke excitedly about his find. “Dwalin, look what I found! Isn’t this one of Kili’s arrows?”

The large leader of the scouting party took the arrow from the guard to investigate. “Yes. Yes! Yes it is! Good work! We’re on the right track then.” This was a good boost to the party’s morale as daylight was waning.

The scouting party set up camp, calling it a night feeling good they were making progress. Dwalin commented with a deep hearty laugh, “Thanks to your keen eyes, Nori, we just might find the boy sooner than I hoped for. Maybe within a week he’ll be back home supping on the tastiest roasted meats and fucking someone in his finest silk sheets!” 

“I do hope you’re right, Dwalin.” Nori adjusted himself comfortably on his bedroll. “I'm sure when we do find Kili, he'll be very ready to head back to the comforts of Erebor!”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yavanna has been captured - Fili learns what Kili thinks of his character - Thorin and Thranduil are setting up for a war between men and elves - Fili trains Kili with the sword, and gets more in return as a thank you than either had bargained for.

The dragons were all given a temporary reprieve from battle as most of the black dragons had taken to their cave to renew themselves, and to prepare for a new attack on the rest of the dragon clans.They also had something of great importance to tend to deep inside their cave now as well.

“Guardians!” Frerin called out over the masses of dragons. “The dissonance between the black dragons and our clans must end, and we must work together to end this! Everyone is trying to win this on their own terms and this does not work to our advantage!”

"Frerin! Frerin!" The frantic screams of Lady Galadriel tore through sky. The illuminous white dragon was deeply troubled. “Yavanna! She has gone missing! It is thought she has been captured by the black dragons!”

Two of Yavanna’s green dragon warriors flew to catch up to Galadriel with more news. “Please King Frerin, you must help us! We know for certain now, our lady has been taken prisoner! She was taken to Saruman’s cave!”

The red dragon of knowledge, Elrond approached when hearing of Yavanna’s fate. “We must do everything we can to save her, for without the giver of life…” He need not say more.

“That was Melkor’s plan from the start. We need to destroy that talisman.” Frerin looked to the north. “And somehow we must find a passage into the cave of Saruman to save Yavanna.”

“I cannot imagine how we could pass through the great halls of the black dragons cave unnoticed, unless the grey dragons could magically find a way.” Galadriel strained her long graceful sinewy neck looking about for Gandalf.

“No.” Frerin knew this would not work. “The black dragons are sensitive to magic. They would know if they were being tricked or manipulated.” The golden dragon already felt defeated, but wouldn’t give up. “There must be a way. We cannot let Yavanna come to her demise. As Elrond said, it would mean the end of us all…”

~`~

After a long peaceful deep sleep, Kili awoke refreshed and ready to start a new day. The clouds had finally parted for the first time in a long time giving way to blue skies and sunshine. 

“Fili! Fili! Wake up! The rain and the storms haven’t returned this morning! Get up!” The raven haired man shook his tousled locks and began to dress. “Can we start my sword training?”

Without opening his eyes, Fili smiled while still lying in bed. “You’re feeling much better, that is good! Are you going to make me breakfast first?” 

“Get your own breakfast, Prince Fili! I’m not your servant!” The prince laughed teasingly.

“You flatter me, calling me prince.” The dragon prince climbed from the bed standing to address the human prince. “Do you believe I would make a fine prince?”

The tattooed man that glowed with a golden sheen about his skin and hair stood naked in all his glory before Kili awaiting judgment. The dark haired prince couldn’t find words to describe how magnificent he thought Fili was. His eyes touched Fili in ways his fingers were not allowed following every defined curve of the man’s hard sculpted body.

“I…do believe you would put any noble king to shame with your exemplary righteousness, your highness” Kili snickered and bowed believing Fili had been playing though he meant every word of which he spoke of the man. 

Fili continued to stand in place stone faced not appreciating the joking manner of which the young man implied in jest knowing full well he indeed was a prince of the golden dragons. The highest rank in all the lands of dragons just beneath his mother and father, the queen and king. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give you the impression of making fun of you. I honestly admire you. You are someone that most royals I know should be so blessed to learn from your ethics. You are more than a mountain peasant.” Standing a bit straighter, the young royal spoke in a serious tone realizing Fili had been very serious when he questioned Kili's opinion of him.

“You are most intelligent for someone living so far removed from civilization.” Kili was intuitive, but could also tell by the way the older man carried himself and the way he spoke, he keeps secrets of a past life. “You should tell me sometime of how you came to live here alone in this cabin so deep in the mountain forest, hmm?”

“Maybe. In time." The dragon was wary and never forgot what Gandalf warned about talking to humans too much. "Let us have some of the stew before we begin our training.” Fili dressed and took some meat from the pot.

Watching the man tear into the meat with the manners of an animal, Kili wondered, “Don’t you ever tire of stew or just meat? Eggs right now would be divine! Do you ever have eggs for breakfast?”

Dragons hatched from eggs, and the thought of eating any egg didn’t seem 'divine' as Kili put it. “Eggs are life unborn.”

Kili laughed again, then sobered realizing again how serious Fili was. “Well, you should have some chickens to lay eggs for you. They are not baby chicks until they are…fertilized. That would be alright?”

Fili thought about the process, and bowed his head. “Eggs of a chicken? I believe that would be acceptable.”

“Good. When I return home, I’ll see to it then that I send you the finest chickens in the land!” The prince wanted to gift his host with everything he needed. 

Being reminded again the beautiful young prince would return home someday, the dragon wondered when that be. That day would come most likely sooner than he wished. “Eat up, and I’ll see you outside when you are done.”

Standing alone in the clearing front of his cabin, Fili swung his sword with such precision, the weapon felt like an extension of his own human arm. He liked feeling powerful in this what he considered to be a frail human body, but he knew for a human he was pure strength unlike the little dragon just crossing over into adulthood he had been hiding behind his mother's wing in his previous form. 

The skills he possessed with his weapon came naturally when Gandalf transformed him. Skill with a weapon in human lands were important to the young dragon’s safety. Gandalf went above and beyond gifting Fili with skills of a champion human warrior in case the need ever presented itself that he must defend himself.

~`~

Reading the missive sent by the elven King Thranduil, Thorin would have attacked the pompous elf had he been standing before him and ripped him to shreads. “How dare he threaten me for such pettiness while I am wringing my hands with worry over my lost son! I will not part with the mine he believes is his that we have tread upon! That land is ours, the mine is ours as is the gems within it are ours!”

"Bifur! Send out a few men to find Dwalin and his company. Finding Kili is still priority, but we need some of those men returned to prepare for war with the elves immediately!" Thorin paced the stone floor grousing to himself. "Those elves are always competing with us for the earth's gifts of wealth. If they think they're going to take what is ours claiming it to be theirs, they are sadly mistaken!" 

"My Lord?" Bifur hesitated to propose his thoughts until Thorin's sapphire eyes bore holes through him. "Is it possible the elves could have found Kili? They could be holding him to use against us as we have one of theirs." 

The thought had never occurred to the king, but the idea placed in his mind drove him mad. "If I find out they've taken Kili prisoner, I will personally seek out Thranduil and kill him myself!" The kings fury raged on as Bifur backed away ready to prepare to leave. "If I had the power to end those filthy elves, I would destroy them all!"

~`~

Thranduil spoke to his most trusted warriors preparing for war with the humans. "This is not only an attack to reclaim our mine those humans stole from us, but they have something locked inside their fortress that also belongs to my son we must reclaim." 

Standing beside his father, Prince Legolas looked somber as he spoke. "It was confirmed, my wife was one of the maidens stolen from the market place a month ago by the humans. She was sold as a slave to the prince of Erebor." 

"These men living in the mountain halls of Erebor will pay for what they've stolen from us. It was not only a move to claim land and wealth from us, but has since become personal." 

~`~

"No Kili, like this." Fili swung his sword again showing Kili the movements he instructed. When Kili fumbled the moves once more, the dragon held his patience. "Maybe if I stood behind you and we walked through the movements slowly, what do you think?" 

He just wasn't getting these moves, so Kili liked the idea, and liked it even more when Fili put his arms around him. "This is a good way to show me." As they began to move, Kili shut his eyes to feel the movements instead of watching and thinking about it. Feeling the hard body pressing against his backside was a plus. "This is a _very_ good way to show me." 

Fili enjoyed holding his trainee this way as well, but knew it was time to let go. "Go on then. Try it again on your own. Remember each movement is a continuation of the last. Make it as fluid as possible with each strike and counterstrike." 

When he was done, Kili turned toward Fili with a huge smile of accomplishment. "I did it! I could feel how natural all the movements were doing exactly what you showed me! Thank you!" Caught up in the moment of excitement, the young man reached out placing a hand behind Fili's head pulling him in to give him a chaste kiss to the lips. 

The second Kili released him, Fili touched his lips with his fingertips and stared into his sparkling brown eyes in an almost frightened way that suddenly concerned the prince. "Fili? Are you alright?" 

"Kiss? You kissed me?" The dragon knew it was a human kiss, but was shocked by the gesture. 

"Yes. I'm sorry, if..." Kili didn't know if he had offended his friend, but saw opportunity to test him.

"It was nice. Very nice." With the tingling fresh on his lips tasting the saltiness of Kili's kiss, the dragon wanted more, and he got his wish. "It was my first." 

Without hesitation, Kili quickly slid his hand under Fili's long hair grasping the back of his neck pulling him into another kiss much harder and more forceful while his other hand had snaked around the blond's waist pulling their bodies closer together. 

The brunet spoke in whispers over the virgin man's lips. "I want more than a kiss from you." 

Fili closed his eyes and melted into Kili. The arousal in his trouser and the euphoric feeling of Kili's kisses were causing a war between Fili's body and his conscious. "Kili, I...I shouldn't allow this." 

"Fili, I know we just only met a few days ago, but I've never felt this way about anyone. You're too pure of heart for me to take advantage of. I remember your vow of chastity, but I believe you are my true love." Kili couldn't explain it himself. He wasn't just horny as usual. It was an overwhelming feeling he couldn't deny. 

"What are you saying?" The young dragon was confused and panicked feeling he was losing his personal battle for restraint drinking in Kili's words knowing they could be poison. 

"I've fallen in love with you. I want you, Fili. I want to make love to you, or you can take me, either way, I don't care, but I need this with you! I love you!" Kili held Fili's gaze pulling him along inside the cabin he closed the door behind them, and leaned heavily against the beautiful golden man pressing their bodies together. "Don't you want me as much as I want you? Please, you can't tell me you don't! I see it in your eyes as they have darkened, and I can feel how hard you are for me! Please tell me you love me too..." 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili gives the prince an ultimatum.

Fili shook his head pulling away from Kili trying to rid his body of these unwarranted feelings. “No! You might _think_ I’m your true love, but there is no way _you_ are mine!”

Stunned by the way Fili jerked away from him, more so by how much it hurt. “Fili, I-I can’t explain it, but it’s something I feel in my heart! I just _know_ you are my true love!”

“This can’t be!” The odds of a dragon and human being meant for one another was absurd in Fili’s mind.

“Why not?” Kili could never have fathomed the idea that Fili was a dragon, and of course he wasn’t going to get that explanation.

“I was warned of people like you! You speak with poison tongue, playing upon my emotions to get what you want!” Eyes narrowed returning to crystal blue as the dragon hissed in a threatening tone. The man stuttered and looked absolutely offended he was being called a liar to his face.

“I-I swear that’s not what I’d doing!” Honesty wasn’t something the prince held in high regard, but at this very moment he had never been more sincere. 

Giving Kili a side look of contempt, Fili left the cabin walking toward the tree line with the prince chasing after him. “Fili? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to bathe in the creek.” The dragon grumbled. “Maybe you should do the same. Some cold water would do you some good, and bring you back to your senses!”

As the man disappeared through the trees, Kili stood in place trying to comprehend what just happened. Anyone would have jumped at the chance to be the prince’s one and only true love. Why was Fili denying his love for him? He was the prince of Erebor for Mahal's sake!

Admittedly Kili had even wrestled with himself over the prospect of himself falling in love with a commoner. What would his father think? That mattered not at this point for the golden man had pushed him away, but he wasn’t giving up so easily. The prince always got what he wanted.

Trudging through the forest following the path Fili took, Kili finally found the creek of which the man spoke of. The water was wide and waist high, rushing at a fairly rapid pace from all the rains following from the higher grounds of the mountainside. 

Fili was a solid being standing in the middle of the creek as the waters flowed swiftly around him. He glanced over to see the prince watching him from the bank. 

“May I join you?” Piece by piece the prince began to shed his clothing leaving them in a pile next to Fili’s. 

The dragon offered caution with honest concern for the somewhat frail human entering the water. “The water current moves with much force. Take care not to slip or you will be swept downstream.”

It was a tense few moments as Kili tried to make his way through the rapidly flowing water toward Fili. Just as he got to the man, his footing was lost in the slippery mud, but Fili’s fast reflexes reached out and grabbed the prince’s arm pulling him upright in front of himself still unwavering from the place where his feet were firmly planted in the creek bed. 

“Thank you!” Kili’s eyes were wide from the scare, and panting from exhaustion from fighting the current.

The dragon’s stone face tried to read the prince still grasping his arm tightly to ensure he wouldn’t drift away. “Why do you believe I am your true love?”

“Honestly, I don't know. It is something I feel in my heart. I knew it the from the first moment I gazed into your eyes. Tell me finding you here so far removed from all others was no coincidence. Finding you was like finding a needle in a haystack. The gods guided me here! Finding you was our destiny, I believe it so. Maybe I am the one you seek, and the gods delivered me to you.” 

Analyzing the inconceivable notion that a human and a dragon were destine to become one another’s true love gave Fili reason to believe the human was filled with deceit only for his own selfish pleasure though the prince had made a good point.

What were the odds this man would have stumbled upon his cabin hidden deep within this vast forest. Maybe the gods did have a hand in this chance meeting. What if Fili denied what the gods had set in motion? What if Kili was his true love, and he shunned him?

There could be no other reason for why he, a dragon had such an overwhelming desire to mate with this human. Maybe he should not try to suppress his feelings any longer. “Prove yourself to me”

“What?”

“You will prove yourself loyal to me, if our love is true.” There was an air about the golden man which demanded respect. 

“You _do_ love me!” Kili lightened with this revelation. 

“I know what I feel, though I’m uncertain of its true nature.” Speaking from the heart, Fili knew he had to stop fighting how much he wanted Kili. 

“What must I do to prove myself?” The prince was eager to please the one he believes his true love.

“Stay with me. Give up your crown. In time you will learn all there is to know about me, and I will see to it we are bound together forever as long as you can remain honest and loyal to me regardless of what you learn of me.” It seemed a reasonable and logical thing to ask of the human. This would be the only way his father, the leader of all dragons would approve their union. 

The prince’s mind raced with thought of his comfortable lifestyle he would leave behind. Being waited on every hour of every day, given everything he desired. The finest wines and delectable foods. Given the most comfortable clothing and bedding to caress his skin. Guards to protect him. Servants to fetch him whatever he asked for. Servants to bathe and clothe him. A bed slave to fulfill carnal desires as he wished whenever he wished. 

The enigma standing before him was more than a lowly man of the mountain. Kili knew it in his heart. There was more to this golden being than would meet the eye. 

“Then so be it! I will not answer to the title of prince no longer if it means you will give yourself to me for eternity as I would freely give myself to you.” Still in Fili's solid grasp, the raven haired young man bowed the best he could to the man before him in a show of respect and renouncing his status.

Fili jerked Kili more upright to face him. "As of this moment here with me now, you are no longer a prince. You better hope your words and your actions are not false... _Kili_."

~`~

Frerin gathered the leaders of all the dragon clans to discuss their plan of action to save Yavanna, the giver of life. When all possible ideas and thoughts had been shared, it seemed an impossible task. Breaking into the black dragon's cave would be a war in itself against those that would guard it's entrances. 

Gandalf couldn't help but notice the worrisome look upon the queen of the golden dragon's face. Her small ears bent back and the sparkle in her kaleidoscope eyes had faded. "My lady. We are all concerned for Yavanna's safety."

"Aye. It is not only Yavanna I worry for."

The large grey dragon tipped his head with a grin. "Your son. I'm sure Fili is fine, but if it would ease your troubled mind, I will go to him. He should be informed of what is happening here anyway. I'm sure he's wondering why the storms have ceased for such a period of time without word from us." 

"Oh, would you, Gandalf? It would give me strength to continue to fight knowing my son is well!" The light in the queen's eyes returned with hope.

"There is still much I must do here before I go, but I promise you I will leave soon." The leader of the magical dragons was sympathetic towards the concern Dis held for her young son even though Fili was now considered an adult by dragon standards. 

Gracious as always, the queen of the golden dragons was grateful. "Thank you, Gandalf. I wish I could go too, though I know I cannot risk such a journey. I do hope Fili is safe and faring well."

~`~

Dwalin called his company to halt. Night was falling once more without anymore signs of the young prince. 

"We'll set up camp here for the night." The large warrior climbed down from his horse and grabbed his pack.

Nori caught his eye. "Dwalin! We've lost our own way haven't we?"

In a hushed tone, Dwalin agreed pulling Nori aside. "The path we've chosen doesn't feel right. I hate to admit it, but it seems we are lost. This damn forest is endless! Even if we find Kili, we may never find ourselves out of here. We've strayed too far from the main path." 

"What are we going to do?" A bit of concern rose in the guard's shaky voice. 

Dwalin calmly answered his friend's question in a simple statement of truth. "All we can do is keep moving, and pray to Mahal we find the boy so we can try and find our way back home, or we will wander this forest forever." 

~`~

The elf maiden, Tauriel was brought before Thorin by two female handmaidens that quickly left her removing themselves from the throne room. "Your majesty." The young she-elf curtsied low before the king. "You requested my presence." 

"Do you like it here, Tauriel? Does my son please you?" Thorin stood and walked from the dais approaching the slave. 

"Yes, my lord. Prince Kili is kind and gentle with me." Tauriel wished for Kili to appear and save her this moment for she was afraid of Thorin and loathed the man. 

"With each passing day that Kili has not been returned to us, I fear he may never return. If he does not return, what should we do with you?" Pacing in front of his son's bed slave caused the female much anxiety. 

"I do not know, my lord." She dropped her head keeping her eyes to the floor, fingers fidgeting with the shear gown she wore.

"I cannot risk sending you back to your people. You've learned and or heard too much, I could not risk allowing you to go back to Mirkwood." The smirk on the king's face was full of mirth at the female's expense. 

"Then what will become of me?" Thoughts of being executed fueled the slave's fear as she looked to the king begging for mercy. 

Thorin stood before the she-elf lightly running the back of his fingers from her sculpted high cheekbones down the delicate pale skin of her neck. Shutting her eyes, Tauriel began to tremble as the king tasted her lips with a kiss making his intent known. "You will become _my_ new bed slave." 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili and Kili give themselves to one another...in other words, they have sex.  
> Days later, both of them remember their fathers - a sign of things to come.

No words were spoken while Fili and Kili left the creek trekking through the trees to move themselves indoors. It had been a long walk back to the cabin giving Kili plenty of time to think about what he’d given up. Fili knew it was a risk believing a human could be his one true love. 

Upon entering the cabin, the silence became awkward as neither man knew what to say or do now as they both kicked off their boots. Fili threw his leather jacket over the wooden chair and began to undress. Kili watched each item of clothing being removed exposing the movements of the man’s taut muscles beneath his smooth golden skin.

Fili could feel eyes watching his every move. “I’m not trying to seduce you, if that’s where your mind wanders. I don’t like wearing clothes, and I just want to lie down and rest for a moment to think about what needs done today.”

“What would it take for me to seduce you then?” Not waiting for a reply, Kili had already begun to disrobe. Without looking to see Kili behind him, the dragon could sense the brunet had stripped naked as he was. 

Before Fili even got close to the bed, Kili’s hands had rested on the blond's hips pulling himself up against him, slowly rubbing his stiff erection against Fili's firm perfect arse. Growing heat radiated from the golden man trying to drop his guard, letting himself drift into a state of euphoria. Closing his eyes he could feel the rise and fall of the man's broad chest pressed against his back as Kili breathed along the shell of his ear. 

“Make love to me, Fili. Claim me as your own. Please. I need this.” Turning around to look into the young man’s alluring brown eyes, Fili could see how vulnerable Kili had become begging his new partner to show him how much he loved him for all he’d given up, and didn't want to wait another second.

Fili’s hands, strong and worn took control of the man curling his fingers into his long raven locks pulling him in for their first real kiss as Kili’s long fingers held tightly to the golden man’s hips anchoring them together. 

Kili moaned the second Fili’s lips pressed hard against his own feeling the scratch of his beard. It wasn’t sweet, it was demanding the way he coaxed his lips to part with his tongue. Digging his fingers into Fili’s hips, Kili rocked their groins together each of them becoming wetter sliding their erections together while tongues twirled around inside their mouths fighting for control. 

The dragon’s tongue was long and won the battle as Fili turned his partner toward the bed and shoved him onto the mattress pinning him down as he crawled over him. The blond’s voice was thick and raspy giving Kili one last chance to change his mind about what they were about to do. “Are you sure of this? You think you're ready for me?”

Fili may have been a virgin, but he was in essence an animal with feral instincts and much sexual prowess. He knew his stamina would be much greater than that of the human’s, and he knew he wasn't going to be gentle though he would try. 

The wild eyes staring down at him bathed in lust gave Kili a moment of doubt he was prepared for this man, but it’s what he desired. “I'm sure. I am yours. I love you, Fili.”

The feral man looked down at Kili’s cock straining, dripping with precum yearning for his touch. Darkened eyes shifted back up to the blown brown eyes watching him, waiting for his next move. “I love you, Kili.” 

Nudging Kili’s thighs apart with his knee, Fili spread his own legs apart hooking his lover’s legs over his calves keeping him spread wide. Whispering hot breath into the brunet’s mouth as they kissed briefly caused his cock to twitch with anticipation. “I can’t wait to feel myself inside you.”

Kili tilted his head to rub their bearded cheeks together offering his supple neck to his lover. Fili took a deep breath nuzzling his face against his lover's skin taking in his scent before he tasted him.

Kili winced from the pain of Fili’s teeth biting into his neck, licking and sucking a purple bruise into his pale unspoiled skin marking him. _“Mine!”_ The dragon growled as his fingers trailed down the younger man’s body feeling his muscles tense under his touch.

He continued to suckle more marks into the brunet’s skin as his fingers gently grazed the head of Kili’s cock gathered the slippery pre-cum to use as a lubricant. The dragon’s large finger rest on the rim of Kili’s tight pucker toying with it dipping his fingertip in and out teasingly awaiting full entrance.

Fili was enjoying watching his lover squirm under his touch. With a naughty smirk, he leaned forward to lick Kili’s moist lips again suggestively licking his own lips to arouse his lover even more. “Would you like to feel my tongue on you or in you?” 

Returning the look with a mischievous grin, Kili’s hands left Fili’s strong arms to twist his fingers into those golden curls pushing him downward. “Both.” 

Closing his eyes, each breath escaping more rapidly until the brunet literally stopped breathing altogether when the blond bypassed Kili’s dripping wet cock to slip his long tongue into his tight pink hole swirling around the rim eagerly flicking the tip of his tongue teasingly. 

“Oh gods, Fili! Ohhh fuck!…what you’re doing it's…oh, it's so good!...oh fuck, I’m gonna...!” Panting heavily, Kili fisted Fili’s hair tight with one hand and grabbed his cock at the base pinching hard to stop himself from cumming right then. 

Fili stopped immediately for he didn’t want this intimacy to end so soon. “Sorry, it’s just…you’re so…nngh I want to fuck you!” Licking a stripe up from Kili's tightened balls to the tips of his wet cock, the blond took his erection deep into his mouth, tongue swirling, licking his harden shaft up and down while massaging the soft skin just below his sack. The blond opened his eyes as he let Kili's heavy cock drop from his mouth. "Mmmph! You taste so good!"

Wiping Fili's bearded chin and lips with his thumb, Kili gave his partner a tiny grin of approval. "Mmm, that was perfect. You can definitely do that again later." This was everything and more Kili had dreamed of from the first night he literally fell into bed with this man. The brunet never had such pleasures performed on him so skillfully as this before. 

Fili’s cock was glistening wet from his own pre-cum hovering over him aligning himself with his man’s entrance. Kili’s erection twitch with want for the dangerous looking man hovering over him. Eyes locked on one another, Fili slowly lowered himself into his raven haired lover's hot channel keeping his legs spread wide rocking into him gently at first giving him time to adjust to the size of his cock. 

“Are you alright?”

Kili began stroking his own cock, and nodded. "I'm ready." 

In a very languid motion, Fili began to move thrusting a little faster pushing in a bit deeper each time until his animal instincts took over. Keeping steady rhythm his pace quicken, and Fili's hard body never wavered though he shook whenever he felt Kili clenching tightly around his wide cock as the brunet continuously stroked himself keeping the same rhythm as the blond. 

Fili fucked him continuously for several minutes, until he couldn't restrain himself any longer from wanting to touch his man again watching Kili palming himself. 

"Let me do it...I want to touch you. Come for me, Kili..." Without missing a beat or slowing the pace of his thrusting, Fili took Kili's slick shaft into his strong rough hand and stroked him to completion in seconds thumbing over his sensitive spot again and again watching the thick white streams of cum coat his stomach. 

Crying out, Kili threw his head back and his body jerked a few times as his fingers grasped Fili's hard arse still thrusting his throbbing rock-hard cock into him relentlessly. 

With a growl deep in his throat, Fili leaned forward biting down on the soft skin between Kili's neck and shoulder he latched on sucking hard while his thrusts became more erratic as he buried his length deeper and faster into his lover’s gaping hole hitting his prostate repeatedly. Kili wasn’t sure he would survive the onslaught of this steady forceful fucking he was receiving, and then it happened. 

Fili’s orgasm took him with great intensity. He released his bite with a roar as his groin jerked forward one last time forcing his thick shaft fully into Kili, tightening his grip fingers digging into the brunet’s hips pulling himself forward until Kili thought his bones would break. Fili’s cock pulsed spilling his seed deep into his lover filling him as it began to swell, sealing himself inside Kili.

"Oh fuck! How are you doing that?” Kili breathed out feeling himself being stretched even wider. 

Breathlessly, Fili tried to apologize for the strange exotic thing humans can't do. “I’m sorry, Kili…I know you probably weren’t expecting this. I never thought to warn you. We may be this way for a while, and I may have to cum again…a few more times.” 

“Is this normal? I mean, I’ve only been fucked by a couple men before, and I certainly don’t remember this happening, and I _know_ it’s never happened to me before!”

“I-I, I’m not sure. It-It’s what I was told by my father.” The dragon really didn't know how he would explain how this could happen to a human, because it couldn't, but luckily Kili didn't know any better. 

“Not that I mind or anything…I kind of like it!” Kili grinned, biting his lower lip. 

“Good...Think of it as my way of showing you how much I love you.” Fili’s little smirk was adorable. As gently as possible, the blond rested his dense muscular body on top of Kili as they laid there literally connected lovingly staring at one another. 

Kili brushed a few curls from his man's eyes to get a better view of those crystal blues. “I’m glad I didn’t have to wait many years to find you. How old are you, anyway?”

“Um, how old are you?” The dragon knew he was young for a dragon roughly one thousand years, but he had no concept of human age to compare to.

“Twenty-two.” 

“I’ve lost track of time living out here alone. I must be about twenty-six, twenty-seven maybe. Age is irrelevant.” That would be an understatement coming from an immortal being. 

"I'm younger than you, and I can feel you're ready to go at it again!" Kili sort of gulped at the thought, but he also loved the way Fili felt inside him. 

"We need to work on your stamina, love. I have a lot of work for us to do when we're through here." At first the raven haired man thought his partner was joking, but he was not. "It'll be alright, Kee. I'll fix up a nice warm bath for you to soak in tonight." 

"I'd like that, but I'd love it even more if you'd join me this time." Kili raised an eyebrow waiting for the response he wished for, and received. 

~`~

For the next few days, Fili put Kili to work helping him set traps, hunt for smaller game, and taught him how to chop wood. Together they built another chair, and made a clothesline from vines. For a prince that rarely lifted a finger to do anything even for himself, Kili learned a lot from Fili. And though his body was screaming from the aches and pains from sore muscles, the young man was very proud of himself. 

"Mmm, this is very nice." After a full day of work, Fili leaned back against Kili's chest in their tub of warm water letting his man run his fingers in little circles about his body pampering him for a change. 

"Yes, it is!" Kili's fingers touched upon the amulet Fili wore about his neck. "What is this?" 

"It was a gift from my frie...father. To remind me of where I came from. To remind me who I am." Kili could hear a bit of sorrow in Fili's voice, and chose not to press him for more information at this time. 

"If only my father could see what I've accomplished. He wouldn't believe it if I told him all I've done and learned!" It was the first time in many days the ex-prince even thought of his father. The king of Erebor. 

"Your father. The king. Surely he's sent someone to look for you." It was also the first moment of clarity for Fili to realize Kili had a family, a kingdom that would be searching for him, and it troubled him deeply. 

Leaning his head against his blond lover, Kili felt a twinge of sadness. He missed his father, and all his friends. He missed _home_. "Yes. I'm sure he's sent Dwalin and some guards out to look for me, but I doubt they'll ever find me here. I seriously found you by chance...or was guiding by the gods to find you because we are meant to be together." 

The brunet could feel Fili's muscles tense. "Kili...you promised me you wouldn't leave me." 

The water sloshed about as the blond turned a little to look into his true love's dark eyes. "If they do find you here, you're not going with them, are you?" 

The reality of what promises he's made to Fili seemed only words to him now, and the shadow of doubt clouded his mind. He loved Fili, but he wanted to see his father again. "I love you, Fili, but I can't go a lifetime without seeing my father again. I-I could travel home to visit, and come right back here to you. Better yet, you come with me!" 

The dragon paled, and backed away from the prince. "You would never come back here if you left me to travel to Erebor." 

Standing from the water, Kili grabbed the man's hand to stop him. "Fili! I want you to be at my side no matter where I go!" 

Crystal blue eyes narrowed on the prince. "You gave me your word. So it was true. Your words were false, and you let me believe you even after I warned you not to lie to me!" 

"I'm not lying! I would come back here, but I'd rather you would go with me! I need to see my father again! Don't you understand that?" Kili panicked. 

Fili felt a bit ashamed of himself as he sat back down into the water to snuggle against Kili wrapping his arms around him. "I'm sorry, Kili. It was selfish of me to think otherwise. I do understand wanting to see your father again...I miss mine too." 

~`~

The first wave of dragons laid assault to a side entrance to the black dragon's cave, but were met with a fierce battle. As the sun began to set, Queen Dis searched for her husband only to be met by the red dragon Elrond and the white dragon Galadriel. 

"My lady, you must come with us now." Galadriel spoke in a low voice laden with grief. 

"Elrond? Where is Frerin?" Dis could sense something terrible had happened. "I haven't seen him in hours!" 

"My lady, Frerin has been gravely injured. Come with us, and we'll take you to his side." The great red dragon of knowledge flew up into the air followed by the golden queen and the white lady. With a heavy heart, Dis feared the worst, but was able to lay curled up next to her husband hoping for a miracle his injuries would mend though his wounds were great, and Frerin was not faring well. 

Gandalf arrived soon after Dis had a quiet moment alone with Frerin. "Gandalf...I need you to go to Fili. He needs to know what has happened. Please? He would never forgive me if Frerin were to pass without him here to be with his father at the end." 

The great grey dragon gave a nod of understanding. "I will leave in the morn, my lady." 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gandalf and Kili meet before Fili goes home.  
> Upon returning home, Fili tells Kili his secret, and then...

Kili was exhausted and Fili knew he worked his human a bit too hard the day before. Leaving his beloved sleeping peacefully in their bed, Fili left him with a kiss to go out and forage for nuts and berries for Kili because he seemed to like them a lot. Humans apparently like variety he figured, and though they were hard to find it was worth the effort as he would do anything to keep his mate happy.

Walking through the forest, Fili breathed in the fresh mountain air. Though he missed being in his true body, life as a human so far was better than expected. He enjoyed working hard, and of course, falling in love with Kili was the most unexpected and welcomed part of his transformation. 

Their whirlwind love affair happened so fast, Fili never gave himself any time to think of their future together. He had given Kili the ultimatum to give up his life as a prince to be his one true love forever, however he had forgot in haste that fact he, himself was a dragon with a royal title.

When the realization of that fact surfaced as he thought of his home so far away, he began to wonder what it would be he would have to give up as well. Would he be in this body forever? 

Lost in thought, Fili startled at the frantic movement of two does he hadn’t noticed not far from him. His hand reached up grabbing his amulet. Looking at the small trinket Gandalf had given him, his friend’s words came back to him. 

_"You will only become a dragon again when Saruman has either been defeated or the talisman has been destroyed. With this magical trinket, you will be able to transform yourself if you ever truly need to do so before the enchantment has been removed. But know this. If you do, you will never able to become human again and remain a dragon forever."_

Forever. If he were to turn back into a dragon, he could never be with Kili again. Why would the gods bring them together as one? Two so very different beings. Had they made a mistake? Had fate played a cruel joke on them both?

A darkness filled the sky, but only for a fleeting moment. The shadow cast on him frightened the young dragon. Fili ran from the forest into the clearing near his cabin to get a better view of the sky. 

“Gandalf!” The great grey dragon flew over the clearing looking for a place to land. Fili was overjoyed to see his friend again rushing to where the magical being was about to transform into his human form. “It’s so good to see you! Has the battle been won? Has the Arkenstone been destroyed?”

Standing tall full of wisdom the dragon was now a man dressed in grey robes with a large brimmed pointy hat over long grey hair wearing a long grey beard walking toward the young human male with a tall walking stick and a bright smile for him.

“Good to see you too, Fili!” The tall man chuckled at the way Fili couldn’t run fast enough and give him a tight hug. With a pat on the back in their friendly embrace, Gandalf questioned his well-being. “Are you doing well? Everything going alright for you here?”

Fili smiled and nodded, crystal blue eyes sparkling in the morning light. “Yes! I’ve adjusted very well to this form, and I actually like it a lot!”

Remembering the urgent reason for his visit, the grey man broke the news gently. “Fili, I’m glad you’re doing so well here, but I’m afraid the reason for my visit isn’t all for pleasantries.”

The young golden dragon could see in the old wizard’s eyes there was trouble. “What is it Gandalf? What’s happened?”

“Your father has been gravely injured during our last battle. With all the magic we grey dragons possess, we do not have much healing abilities. Only Yavanna holds the mostly powerful gift of healing, and she has been…” The old man looked up startled and stunned by the sight of a human in their presence.

“Fili? Who is this?” Kili was just as surprised to see another man in this part of the mountain forest. Walking from the cabin toward the two men standing in the clearing not too far away, Kili studied the look of the old man. 

The thought never occurred to the innocent little dragon that Gandalf would return to the cabin for him, and he would have to explain to Kili who the man was. Wracked the grief for his father, and the sudden dilemma of explaining to Kili and Gandalf who the others were overwhelmed him.

“He’s…that’s…Gandalf?” The golden man stared helplessly into the old dragon’s eyes wishing he could read his mind. “That’s Kili. Prince Kili of Erebor. He is my one true love.”

The great leader of the grey dragons choked and snorted smoke from his nose and mouth from the smoke which he’d just inhaled deeply from his long smoking pipe. He was flabbergasted at the thought of the young dragon who had recently passed into adulthood already claiming to have found his one true mate in the form of a human.

“Fili! That _man_ cannot be your one!” The wise old wizard shook his head sizing up the dark haired young man still walking toward them. “What kind of enchantment has he placed upon you?”

“Love! We’re in love.” Fili protectively wrapped his arms around Kili keeping a cautious eye on the old wizard. “Kili’s mine.”

Kili looked completely confused at the exchanges of looks and words between the other men. “Who is this, Fili? How did he come to be here? Do you know him?”

“Yes. Gandalf, this is Kili. Kili, this is Gandalf. He’s a family friend.” Releasing Kili, Fili turned him holding his arms in his strong hands to look him in the eye to speak truth. “He has come here to tell me that my father has been injured.”

“Then you must go to him, and I will go with you!” Kili was ready to go wherever Fili was to go without hesitation. 

“No!” Gandalf spat. “That peasant isn’t going anywhere with us!”

“Hey!” Kili took immediate offense. “I’m a prince, you-you scruffy old man!”

“Silence!” Gandalf stood taller with a commanding air about himself to shush the human. 

“You’re not a prince anymore!” Fili snapped to remind his mate of his new status watching Kili fold his arms giving him a look of contempt pursing his lips angrily. 

“Gandalf! Kili cannot stay here by himself. I…I can’t go with you. I can’t leave Kili here alone.” Fili felt his insides being torn apart at the thought of not being at his father’s side, but he knew if he left Kili here alone something horrible might happen to him for the pampered incompetent prince was certainly not ready to be on his own in the wilderness.

Gandalf couldn’t believe Fili would choose this human over his own kin. “But your father needs you! Your mother asked for you to come home to be with them both at this time of need!” 

Feeling guilty and ashamed, Fili collected his thoughts. “Kili, I really must go to my father. I’m sorry you cannot go with me. Do you think you’ll be alright here alone? I’ll only be gone a few days, I promise.” As Fili took Kili into his arms, he felt his mate's tense muscles relax a little in his warm embrace. 

"I'm sure I'll be alright for a few days." Kili didn't want Fili to go, but he reluctantly reassured him he would be fine. 

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of the golden man's lips pressing their foreheads together. "I just worry about you. I promise I'll be back soon. I love you, Kili." 

"I love you too, Fili." Kili gently slotted their lips together for a sweet good-bye kiss before they released one another. They both smiled as Kili gave one of Fili's moustache braids a playful tug. 

"Oh! I have something for you." Suddenly remembering, Fili's hands dove into the pockets of his leather coat. "Put out your hands." Pulling out the contents of his pockets, he filled Kili's hands with berries and nuts as he beamed with pride over his small gift. "These are for you my love! I know how much you like them."

"Thank you! I'll save some for you for when you return." Tearing up, Kili was careful not to drop a single one as if they were precious gems for he knew they were hard to come by in the deep forest. A small token given to him with thoughtfulness and love.

As Fili trudged away with Gandalf into the trees, the old grey man kept a watchful eye on the young man making sure he wasn't following them. Fili waved one last time before disappearing from sight.

With a sigh Kili took his gift of berries and nuts into the cabin placing them in wooden bowl. His heart felt heavy already missing his man. Popping a couple of the sweet berries and crunchy nuts into his mouth he smiled enjoying the taste as he walked back outside to find a place to sit in the warm sun.

Looking to the sky, Kili gasped at the sight of a very large being flying high in the sky far away. "Mahal! What is it?" He had never seen any winged creature so large or of such shape. Though Gandalf was very far away, to Kili's eyes, he was a wonder to behold.

~`~

On the long flight west back to the land of the dragons, Gandalf continued to tell Fili everything that has happened since he last saw him. Hearing Yavanna's fate concerned Fili. He knew the extent of what her demise would mean for all life. 

For now the young golden dragon only want to hurry home to his father's side, and do whatever he could for his mother, but his thoughts were constantly being pulled back to Kili. "Gandalf, I know you are confused about Kili and I. Understandably so, I was too when I first realized how much I loved him and believed he could possibly be my one true love. I know it to be true. I can feel it in my heart. How much I miss him already!"

"He is human. I can't help, but think this is a mistake, Fili. I'd hate to think you've given up everything for a human." Gandalf sighed trying to work up the courage to ask, "Have you...mated with him yet?"

"Yes. Many times. We both enjoy each other a lot." Dragons liked to mate often, and even in human form Fili continued to feel that need. "Gandalf, what will happen to me when the war is over? Will I automatically be transformed back into myself, or will I remain in human form until you change me?"

The grey dragon leader smiled for he knew why the young one wanted to know. "It will be your choice, Fili. If you choose to remain human with Kili, it will be completely up to you."

With this information, the young dragon had much to consider. For hours Gandalf flew as Fili leaned over his neck resting in silence thinking deeply about his future. Upon arriving home, Gandalf flew Fili straight to his father's side. 

Fili felt so tiny next to his enormous father in his human form. He had always felt small compared to his father, but even more so now. "Mama?" 

Dis turned her mighty head to look down from where the small voice came. Her kaleidoscope eyes began to glow with joy. "Fili, my son! You're here and you're safe!" 

Fili felt like a child again near his mother. He wished he could be in dragon form to feel her protective wing wrap around him again. "I missed you, Mama! How is father doing?"

"I'm afraid he's not doing well at all, Fili. Without Yavanna, I'm afraid he'll fade away. Some of the green dragons have tried to use some of their healing powers along with the grey dragons, but his injuries are too great, and their magic isn't strong enough." Dis looked from her son to her husband. 

Frerin's breathing was shallow as Fili rested a miniscule hand on his father's great snout. "Father? It's me, Fili. I'm home with you now, though you wouldn't recognize me this way. I want you to know I'm here for you. Please get well. You've always been so strong, and brave. You are my hero, Father. I need you." Looking to his mother, he saw her tears. " _We_ need you."

~`~

Upon his return to the small cabin in forest, Fili thanked Gandalf for all he had done for his family. The old wizard gifted Fili with a few more comfort items he requested to make life a bit easier for himself and Kili. 

Just as the great grey dragon was about to spring into the air, they heard a shriek of a terrified human. Fili's eyes widen and his heart raced seeing Kili looking completely horrified at the sight of the dragon standing over his man. Gandalf began to back away slowly.

"Kili! It's alright!" Fili tried to calm his mate as he ran to him. "I'm alright! And you're safe! He won't hurt you!"

"What is that thing?" Kili's wild eyes stared at the enormous dragon. He was so petrified he couldn't be moved when Fili tried to back him away into the trees. 

"That's a dragon. That's Gandalf." Giving Kili a moment to comprehend what he said, Fili wasn't expecting the reaction he got next. "And...I'm a dragon too." The brunet nodded slowly still focusing on the dragon, and suddenly went limp falling into Fili's arms.

"Is he alright?" Gandalf asked.

Fili held his mate in his arms shaking him. "Kili? Kili? Are you alright? Speak to me! Gandalf?"

"I believe your human as fainted from shock." Gandalf found it amusing, though he wasn't excited about he prospect of a human knowing the existence of dragons now. "Fili, I'm going to leave now. Best I go before he wakes up. Maybe you can lead him to believe he was dreaming all of this!" With a nod, the old dragon flew swiftly away.

When Kili finally came around, he looked for the dragon. "Where did it go?"

Fili played along. "Where did what go?"

"The dragon?"

"What dragon?"

"You saw it! You were talking to it! That, that huge grey dragon! You said it was Gandalf!" Kili rubbed his eyes.

Fili tipped his head, and brush back a bit of Kili's wild bangs. "I think you hit your head when you tripped an fell on this rock. Are you alright?"

Kili knew what he saw. He remembered what Fili said. "You're a dragon? You said you're a dragon too. Fili? What's going on? Please tell me the truth!" 

After getting Kili back to the cabin, Fili sat him down and explained everything to him. Every last detail he could think of so there would be no secrets between them. 

"And that's why the enchantment is called 'dragon silk'. Like clothing you wear can cloak you in disguise, transforming into a human or elf is called 'dragon silk' for the smooth silk-like skin you wear." Fili sighed feeling somewhat relieved to not have to keep his secret from Kili any longer. 

"That is an amazing enchantment, 'dragon silk'. Do you have anything to transform me into a dragon?" The raven haired man grinned lifting an eyebrow. "Just a thought!" Though he was still dazed and shocked by this revelation, Kili was content to know the truth about his true love, and was happy to hear Fili had intentions of remaining a human to live out his life with him. 

"But Kili, no matter what happens, you cannot tell anyone about the existence of dragons, don't you understand? No one! Not even your...especially not your father!" Fili worried for the sake of the entire lot of dragons. 

"They would be astonished to know dragons still exist! It would be amazing!" Kili felt if he told his father, he would be some sort of hero. 

"No! No, Kili...you can never speak of this to ANYONE! EVER! Please promise me!" Kili nodded reluctantly in agreement seeing how adamantly concerned Fili was about this. 

~`~

_A few days later..._

"This way! I thought I saw someone!" The water of the creek splashed and sloshed about as the men ran to follow what they believed they saw.

Fili ran as quickly and nimbly as possible to avoid being spotted again by the men chasing after him. Trying his best to lead them away from his cabin, he forgot the placement of one of his hunting traps as the rope caught him and flung him upside down into the air. 

Trying desperately to cut himself down with his skinning knife, the men finally found him just as he crashed to the ground. "Please don't hurt me!"

Surrounded by several angry looking warriors and guards, Fili cowered knowing he couldn't fight all of these men no matter how skilled he was with his weapons. 

A tall large man pushed his way through to confront the one they were tracking. "Who are you? What business do you have in this part of the forest?"

The man's gruff voice frightened the young dragon. "I'm Fili. I live here. You are on my land!"

The men laughed as Dwalin pulled man to his feet. "Well, Fili, we're looking for someone. You wouldn't happened to have seen the prince of Erebor around these parts have you?"

Fili felt the man's fingers gripping his arms tighter and tighter, only to panic more when he saw another man reach to the ground to retrieve something. 

"Hey, Dwalin. Look at this." Nori held up the skinning knife. 

"What about it?" The menacing man groused, as Fili's heart raced. 

"This is Kili's knife! I forged it for him as a gift for his tenth birthday!" Nori turned to look at the man in Dwalin's grasp. "Where is Kili? What have you done with him?"

"I-I don't know who you're talking about! I found that knife!" Fili knew if he took them to Kili, these men would force Kili to leave with them, and he certainly didn't want that to happen.

Dwalin gave the smaller man a good shake. "Found it huh? I could believe that, but I don't! What have you done with Kili? Where is he? You had best take us to him this instant if you know what's good for you! And if any harm has come to him, we'll use this skinning knife on you!" 

With the snapping of fallen tree branch, a few of men looked up as Fili closed his eyes feeling his heart sink at the sound of Kili's voice. "Dwalin?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili heads home, while Tauriel is befriended by a concerned old man, and Dwalin has other plans for Fili without Kili's knowledge.

Holding a chopping axe in one hand, Kili looked surprised to see how many guards and warriors there were accompanying Dwalin and Nori. 

Dwalin smiled from ear-to-ear beneath his bushy moustache and chuckled loudly. “Kili! I’ve never been so happy to see anyone in my life!”

Nori breathed out a sigh of relief as well. “Thank Mahal you’re alive! Are you alright, lad?”

Kili wasn’t as pleased to see all of them as much as they were to see him. With a scowl on his face, he shouted at them in a commanding tone. “Release him! Now!”

Dwalin loosened his grip on Fili’s arm, but refused to let go. “Who is he? Has harmed you in any way?”

“No! He's my friend, and he's taken great care of me! Let go of him now!” Instantly Dwalin obeyed his prince’s orders. Fili rubbed his arm where the large warrior's finger had most likely left bruises giving him a hateful look. “Fili, come to me!”

Without hesitation, Fili went to Kili’s side as his mate did the same protective move to wrap his arm around him as he had done to Kili when he met Gandalf. “This is Fili, and he is my one. My true love. Do not hurt him!”

Fili never took his eyes off the scary man who had threatened him as he pressed himself closer against his mate. “Kili? What are they going to do?”

“First, they are going to _stand down!_ ” Dwalin shook his head and looked around at his men acknowledging their prince’s commands. “Dwalin, I want you and Nori to come with us. The rest of you, stay here!”

As the four men walked through the forest, Nori had to finally ask. "Kili? What were you doing with that axe?" 

"Chopping wood." 

With a snort, Nori started to laugh until Kili shot him a look. "What's so funny?' 

Nori quickly changed his tone. "Well, you, uh, you've never done any physical labor like chopping wood before. I thought you were joking. I'm sorry." 

"Fili taught me." Catching Nori's eye, Dwalin shrugged his shoulders. Neither one could barely recognize their prince with his new attitude. _'Taking charge, giving orders, physical labor?'_ Dwalin thought. _'Who is this kid?'_

Entering the clearing before the cabin, Kili turned Fili toward him and gave him a quick kiss before speaking to him in a hushed tone. “Fili, I want you to go inside while I speak with them, alright? Don’t worry. They won't harm you.”

Fili was shaking inside when he emotionally embraced Kili wrapping his strong arms around the brunet’s waist holding him tight. “Don’t leave me.” 

Keeping his arms around Fili’s shoulders, Kili rocked him gently and kissed the top of his golden head. “Know that I love you, and whatever happens, my heart will always be with you. I won't leave without saying farewell.”

Fili nodded taking a deep breath, he trudged up the hill to go inside the small cabin leaving Kili alone to discuss matters with Dwalin and Nori. 

Dwalin's stance was intimidating, but Kili knew he still had the upper hand. “What is this all about, Kili?”

“I told you. Fili is my one true love. I believe the gods planned for me to lose my way so I would find him here.”

Nori’s eyes shifted to his left giving Dwalin a side look to see if he also thought Kili had lost his mind. “That man is a commoner. Why would you think he is your one?”

“I don’t _think_ it, I _know_ it! I can feel it in my heart. I only feel complete when Fili is near.” Though Dwalin wanted to laugh, he stifled the urge knowing Kili was still so young and naïve.

“Let’s get you home, and you can discuss this matter what your father then, shall we? We'll bring Fili along too.” Dwalin coaxed the young man to follow his orders.

“No!” Kili knew Fili wouldn't want to leave his cabin, and he didn't trust his father or his warriors. 

Nori looked at Dwalin before questioning his prince. “What do you mean, _no?_ ” 

“Kili, your father is worried sick about you, and has ordered us to bring you home. He also made it clear we were not to return without you!” The urgency in the large warriors tone gave Kili reason to re-evaluate the situation knowing his father could be ruthless. 

“Very well. I will go with you. Fili stays here. I will return to him after I explain everything to Father. But first you must let me spend some time alone with Fili before we leave.” Kili turned and walked away heading for the cabin. Knowing the other men may follow, he shouted at them to stay.

When the prince opened the cabin door, he felt horrible at the sight of his beloved curled in a ball in their bed looking so sad and scared. “It’s alright Fili, it's just me.” 

Going to sit along the edge of the bed, Kili ran a soothing hand over Fili’s hair and down his arm. For the first time in this human body the dragon felt small and weak against the group of men waiting in the forest. "They're going to take you away from me, and I fear you won't return to me."

The raven haired prince laid on the bed next to his man to hold him. "They wanted you to go too, and I told them, no. You'll be safer here. I promise I'll be right back into your arms before you know it. I was worried when you left me to go to your father, but I trusted you. Now it's your turn to trust me." 

Fili's fingers brushed softly over Kili's cheek. "Kili? Make love to me before you go." 

A smile began to spread across the brunet's lips. "You want _me_ to make love to you? You've only let me top a couple times." 

With an impish innocent smile, Fili nodded animatedly. "Yes. I like when you do it!" 

"You're so sweet, Fili...when you're not being an arse to me!" Kili gave his man a quick kiss, and playful little slap on the behind. 

~`~

Erebor was a busy city beneath the stone mountain with people constantly on the go. The white haired royal scholar, Balin was always watching even when those around him had no inkling what the old man was up to. He watched, and listened learning what he could without asking questions. Observing the young she-elf coming and going from Thorin’s bedchamber disturbed him, and on this day he couldn't help but intervene when he saw the despair on the slave's face.

Passing Tauriel in the hallway leaving Thorin’s bedchamber, Balin stopped the elf slave. “Are you alright my dear?”

Keeping eyes averted, the redheaded she-elf wiped away a tear from her cheek. “I will be. Thank you for asking, sir.”

The old whited haired man stood much shorter and rounder than the tall lithe female. He tipped his head to catch her green eyes with a light smile. “Would you like to join me for some tea?”

“I-I’m not allowed to mingle with anyone other than the other slaves, sir. I belong to King Thorin now, and he would not approve.” The female was leery of the man’s intent.

“Thorin is my cousin. I am of the royal court as well. It is quite alright to have tea with me my dear.” Waiting for the faintest smile, she followed the old man to his quaint and cozy little sitting room where he already had a pot of hot water waiting.

Balin poured a cup of tea and handed the cup and saucer to the nervous girl. Taking the saucer in hand, she gave a nod. 

“It may not be any business of mine, and I’m sure Thorin has given you orders, but I’m curious. What use has Thorin made of you?”

The elf slave answered with some hesitancy. “I...I go to his bed when I am ordered to.”

“I see." The old man replied furrowing his brow. "I thought you were Prince Kili’s bed slave, are you not?”

“Yes. Thorin doesn’t believe Kili will return, so he has made use of me.” Taking a sip of tea, the elf tried to calm her anxiety of this conversation.

Balin didn’t like the idea of bed slaves in general. He also didn’t like Thorin claiming the female slave that belonged his son before knowing his fate. 

"Sympathies my dear. This was not the life you were meant to live as an immortal being.”

Tauriel was comforted and began to relax knowing at least this one man sincerely care for her well-being. “I appreciate your concern.”

At last the tears came. After sitting down the cup and saucer, the she-elf broke down sobbing into her hands. “I want to go home! I miss my husband and the life we shared! We were planning to leave Mirkwood because of the evil that has begun to spread in the forest! We dreamed of living in Rivendell where we wanted to begin a family there!”

Balin’s heart ached for the predicament Tauriel was in. “I’m very sorry, dear. I will do whatever I can to help your stay here.” Reaching for her hand, the distraught slave flinched then relaxed as the old man patted the top of her hand lightly. “You can visit with me anytime if you feel the need to speak with someone in confidence.”

The young female sat up wiping away tear stained cheeks, trying to regain her dignity. “I appreciate your kindness. Gratitude, sir.” 

“You are most welcome. Hopefully Kili will be returned to us soon.”

Tauriel smiled briefly at the thought. “That would be a blessing from Mahal, though I’d still rather go home to my husband.”

~`~

The journey home to Erebor didn’t take nearly as long as it did to find the prince. As a hunter, Kili was intelligent enough to use his survival skills of marking his way at least to a point where Nori was able to figure out which way they should go until they found a true path leading back to the place where the hunting party had original been when Kili wandered off and got lost.

Still it took many days for the company to return to Erebor. All the days of travel gave Dwalin the opportunity to question his prince about Fili. It only took one slip of the tongue to alert the astute warrior leader. 

Giving Kili a hard time once again about the mountain man being a commoner, Dwalin provoked the prince to snap. “Fili is NOT a commoner! He is a prince!”

Dwalin laughed out loud, deep and hearty making light of Kili's comment. “What do you mean, his is a prince? Prince of what land?” The seasoned warrior wasn't as scholarly as his brother, Balin about the lands of Middle Earth, but he didn't deny there could be another land ruled by men they had no knowledge of. 

“Far away from here. He was hiding in the mountain for safety from a war being fought in his homeland.” This was all Kili truly knew about why Fili was living alone secluded in the mountain cabin so far away from any other living beings. 

Noting Kili was quite serious, the large warrior continued the questioning. “So Fili’s a prince of that land, you say? Do you know where this land is he hails from?”

“No. I believe it to be in the west.” From then on, Kili refused to answer anymore of Dwalin’s questions realizing he may had said too much already not wanting to expose Fili and his kin as dragons. 

Indeed, the innocent prince had revealed too much. As night fell and Kili had fallen asleep, Dwalin sent a few of his guards and a warrior back to the cabin to retrieve Fili. “Bring him to Erebor. I’m sure Thorin would love to know more about his son’s _true love._ If he is a prince, this could benefit our kingdom immensely! If he is speaking falsely to Kili about his royal status, Thorin will find a way to deal with the liar.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili returns home.

Entering the throne room, Prince Kili looked disheveled and a bit irritated to say the least for he had not even been given a chance to go to his bedchamber to wash and change clothes or relax yet because Dwalin and the guards insisted he see his father immediately upon their arrival.

Thorin was shocked, yet overjoyed at the sight of his son entering his throne room. He didn’t care about the state of Kili’s appearance, he was just grateful to have his son home and safe. Leaving the dais, the king practically ran to greet his son with open arms.

With Thorin’s hearty greeting and powerful arms embracing him, Kili stood a bit ridged not feeling as joyous over their reunion. He loved his father, but never agreed with how he handled diplomacy with others, worrying about how he would take the news of his new found love, Fili. Not to mention his plans to leave Erebor for good, and give up his title as the crown prince, Thorin's only heir.

"It is so good to have you home, son! Though I hate to inform you, things have taken a turn for the worse in your absence. The Elves are marching this way as we speak, ready for war." Thorin paced around with hands held behind his back. 

"War? But why?" Before Kili left on his hunting trip, he thought all matters of importance had been laid to rest between Thorin and Thranduil. 

"I've sent our troops out first to rid _our_ mine of those filthy elves! Seems they are unwilling to remove themselves from our land and our mine, so we will remove them ourselves! Thranduil insists that mine belong to them, and they are using human slaves to mine it for them!" The king's temper began to flare, but his sapphire eyes seemed a bit brighter as he tipped his head toward his son giving him a cocky smile. "But _you_ have the upper hand in this war. Seems you own something of even more greater importance to the elven prince." 

"Tauriel." Kili had all but forgotten about his bed slave. The she-elf he acquired from the market place sometime before he had gone missing. "Of what importance is she to Legolas?" 

The smugness of Thorin's tone was cold and uncaring. "While you were gone, we also found out it seems as though your little plaything is Legolas' wife..." 

~`~

Fili heard horses and voices of men outside his cabin. The wary dragon took up his sword and went out the door. The guards knew they had the man out numbered, but this one man was not by any means going with them willingly as Fili attacked slicing open one of the guard's arm, and leaving quite a gash in another's leg. 

The warrior came to the guard’s aid immediately, aiming not to kill Fili, but to render him helpless knocking the sword from his grip and pinning him to the ground as all the guards surrounded them. The dragon with seething with hate for these men wanting to kill them all. 

Fili trusted Kili’s word that he would left alone here at his cabin, but now he was being chained like an animal and forced to leave the safety of his secluded forest cabin. Being towed along to a human land he had no knowledge of, the innocent dragon felt only dread for what fate would lie before him entering the human kingdom of Erebor. 

~`~

Kili's head was spinning feeling overwhelmed with so much information, knowing their home was most likely going to be under attack in the near future. Overwhelmed about everything. All the prince wanted was a hot bath to not only feel better, but to unwind and relax and take a moment to try and think clearer about all the recent events occurring in his life.

After leaving his father's throne room, Kili was greeted by his personal servant, Dori. The older silver haired servant handed the prince a glass of his favor fruity red wine taking his muddy long coat as they headed off to his spacious bedchamber where a tub of steaming hot water awaited the weary royal young man. 

"We were so worried about you, Kili. When I returned home after you couldn't be found our first night, I was devatistated thinking I'd never see you again!" Dori rambled on as he scattered lavender across the bath, and laying the fluffy towels nearby. The second he touched Kili to help him remove his clothing, he flinched. "Oh! I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"

Immediately Kili knew he had reacted without thought. "No, I'm sorry, Dori. I can disrobe on my own thank you." Dori stood by as the prince handed each item of clothing to him before stepping into the tub. 

With a hiss the prince winced from the overly heated water. "Oh, dear! Is the water too hot? I'm so sorry, Kili!" 

Kili shook his head. "No. No, it's fine. It'll be good to help my muscles relax, it just stung a little at first." 

"I can fix it and make it perfect for you. Here, let me..." The silver haired man scurried to the pitchers of water to find some cold water when Kili cut him off. 

"That won't be necessary, Dori, but gratitude for offering." Dori wasn't used to Kili not whining like a child as he would have in the past when something wasn't perfect for him. In truth, Dori had noticed Kili's rather flamboyant personality had all but disappeared as well. He seemed a bit melancholy at best, not his usual playful self he was before he went missing. 

As Dori took the washcloth and dipped it in the water, Kili rested his head on the back of the large marble tub letting the man wash the grime from his neck and chest inhaling the fresh scent of lavender. "Kili? May I ask what happened to you out there in the forest?" 

Visions of Fili filled the prince's mind as a smile lit his face for the first time since he had been home. "I met someone, Dori!" 

Kili leaned forward to allow Dori to run the washcloth over his shoulders then across his muscular back as he began telling his servant about his adventure. "You did? With that smile, I'd say whoever it was certainly left an impression on you!" 

"Yes. He did. I'm so in love with him! I can't wait to go back to him!" Kili's smile faded slightly when he saw the look in Dori's eyes. "He is my true love. My one. Please don't say anything to anyone about this Dori. I'm trusting you as I always have not to. I will tell my father when the time is right." 

~`~

Dressing in his casual attire for dinner, Kili was feeling more content and complacent about being home again though Fili was never far from his thoughts. Nodding politely to those he passed in the long corridor on his way to the great hall for dinner, Kili acknowledged servants as well as others of importance. One tall redheaded she-elf slave caught his eye as he rounded a corner.

Tauriel looked more stunning than he had remembered. With a huge smile the prince strode up to his slave to greet her for the first time since he had been home. The shy female returned the smile graciously lowering her eyes to bow her head to her master. "Prince Kili. It is good to see you are safe and well." 

"That I am. It is good to see you again, Tauriel." As the prince spoke, something caught his eye. 

Kili glared hard at the bite mark on his bed slave’s neck as well as the harsh bruise that appeared she had been strangled. “Tauriel? How did you come by these marks on your neck?” The she-elf turned away hoping her hair would hide the marks from further examination. 

“Has someone taken you to their bed while I was gone?” The prince reached to move some of her long hair away from her shoulder. “Who did this to you?”

When the female slave wouldn’t answer, her master grabbed her arm forcing her to look at him. “Tauriel, I asked you a direct question! Answer me!”

“Your father! He did this to me!” A tear rolled down her cheek as she continued to try to avoid eye contact with her master. “He didn’t think you would return, so he claimed me as his own.”

“He did, did he? He claimed you as his and hurt you like this?" Kili was furious, shaking with rage. "Go to my bedchamber.”

“But, I-I can’t! I belong to your…”

“You still belong to _me!_ " The enraged prince snapped. "And-and that is NOT why I want you to go there! I want you to stay there until I have words with my father!”

Tauriel was obviously distressed about what would happen to her if she disobeyed Thorin. “Kili, I’m afraid of what Thorin will do if he finds out…”

“You are _mine!_ ” Her master spat once again. Calming himself, Kili took her cheek firmly in his palm and kissed her softly. “I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with my father! I’m sorry this happened to you. You may be my slave, but I do care about you!" 

Looking all around before he made his move in secrecy, Kili took Tauriel by the hand and pulled her along to his bedchamber closing the door for privacy. "Tauriel, I want you to know I have found my one. I will be leaving here soon to go back to him, and when I leave, I want you to go with me.”

The she-elf furrowed her brow at her master's words. “But, if you’ve found your true love, why would you take me with you?”

“Because I’m going to set you free…” 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gandalf tells Dis about Fili's true love, and because Kili is wary of his father, he confides in Balin telling him of his plans.

As Dwalin finished explaining all he knew of Kili’s apparent true love in quiet confidence, Thorin chuckled deep in his chest with a wicked smile. 

“Perfect. I want to meet this _prince_ the second he arrives.” Thorin called Dwalin back to give him one last order before he left. “Oh, and Dwalin, don’t let Kili know anything about this.” The dark haired royal gave his cousin a look as if they could read one another’s mind. "I'll see you at dinner this evening." 

~`~

Kili was still furious over what Thorin had done to Tauriel, but he knew he couldn’t burst into the great hall and verbally attack his father over a bed slave in the presence of every royal and nobleman gathered around the massive tables for dinner though he wanted to. As he entered the room he gave Thorin a fake smile taking his seat next to him at the head of the table. 

Picking up his wine glass to take a sip, Kili spoke to his father with contempt knowing no one else was seated close enough to hear them. 

“Tauriel will no longer be visiting your bedchamber now that I am home, and you will not harm her in anyway again or you will have to deal with me.” Kili sent a light smile in Balin’s direction seated at the left side of the table, with a nod taking in another sip of red wine.

Thorin didn’t need to see the fire in his son’s eyes when he could feel the ice in his tone. Copying a similar move, Thorin also picked up his wine glass tipping his head toward Dwalin seated on the right side of the long table, doing quite the same gesture as he took a light sip of the sweet wine then chuckled quietly at his son's amusing attempt to threaten him. “You can have the wretched elf bitch. She wasn’t that good of a fuck anyway.”

Kili smiled to hide his anger as he calmly sat down his glass, and didn’t say another word going about enjoying the first real meal he had consumed in many weeks. He wasn’t going to let his father spoil his dinner. 

Finishing off the last bite of his decadent chocolate cake smothered in hot fudge whipped cream and cherries, Kili scooped up the last bit of whipped cream and sucked it off his finger with a little grin letting his mind wander thinking of Fili again. 

As soon as Kili stood kicking back his chair to leave throwing his silk napkin over the dirtied plates, Thorin cleared his throat getting his son’s attention. 

“Kili my son, if I were you, I’d mind myself and keep that temper of yours under control. I have a little surprise arriving for you in the next day or two.” 

“What do you mean, _surprise_ for me?” Kili didn’t like the cocky grin he received from his father, and he knew he wasn’t going to get an answer. The prince found this to be deeply disturbing wondering what this 'surprise' could be.

~`~

The dragons were without a leader now that Frerin had been wounded in battle, leaving the leaders of the different clans to work together. Not wanting to leave her husband’s side, Dis would only communicate with the others if they came to her. 

The white dragon, Lady Galadriel awoke from a terrible dream, and immediately went to seek council with the red dragon of knowledge, Lord Elrond. The red dragon paced in circles listening to the keeper of dreams and visions to explain what she saw in her dream. 

“Do you agree, Elrond? Melkor has given the black dragons the ability to manipulate the genetics of our eggs? Is it possible?”

“Yes.” Continuing to circle the white dragon, he pondered the thought. “The black dragons are producing these evil spawns within Saruman’s cave?”

“Yes. They are stealing Yavanna’s eggs attempting to create a new breed of dragon. Her children are dying, and through her sorrow and grief, she is fading.” 

“I had read through scrolls, telling of the day when a foul race would be brought forth in attempt to control a race of dragons to fight against all other dragons and turn them on the other races of our world.” The scholarly red dragon looked to the sky. “I believe we should speak with Queen Dis and Gandalf of this matter.”

Dis knew no matter what they decided to do, many lives would be lost in another ferocious battle between the dragons. Not knowing how much longer Yavanna would live made time of the essence. 

“That explains why they have not come out of their cave to further attack us.” Looking toward Gandalf for help, the grey dragon leader shook his head. 

“We’ve tried different enchantment spells to get past the guards of Saruman’s cave, but those black dragons cannot be fooled by magic.” Gandalf never told Dis anything of Fili’s love affair with the human, but now seemed to be the right time.

“In light of that fact, it has made me consider one dangerous idea. Because the black dragons can sense magic and they can smell other dragons, we should send someone inside that is neither magic nor a dragon.”

Curious eyes looked between company wondering what the old dragon had in mind. “Dis, could I have a word alone with you please?”

The white and red dragons knew that was their request to part company for a moment. Once Dis and Gandalf were alone, the old grey one smiled slightly hoping to ease the news to the young golden dragon’s mother. 

“Dis, while visiting with Fili recently, he confessed to me he has found his one true love.” At first the golden female was elated by the news, but quickly realized her son had just passed into adulthood right before he was turned human and had no time to find a mate amongst the other goldens.

“How is this possible? You whisked him away from here soon after he came of age, and he’s been secluded from all other dragons since, hasn't he?” 

Gandalf did the best he could to brace himself for the possible wrath of the royal female when he told her what he knew. “Fili has fallen in love with a…human.” 

The golden queen stared into the grey dragon’s eyes mesmerizing him with her kaleidoscope eyes as he contiuned to speak. “A male human…” He was now speaking without thinking. “A prince of the human land, Erebor.”

As the keeper of time, in her fury Dis wanted to turn back time tenfold to do anything to save her son from being involved with a human, but of course knew she could do no such thing without devastating consequences. "My son will NOT give himself to a despicable human being!" 

Now Gandalf was taking a few steps backward as the female began to hiss. "I'm afraid, my lady, _that_ is too late. However, Fili's human may be able to prove himself loyal to us, and deem himself worthy of our kind yet."

~`~

Still in shackles and chains about his neck, wrists, and ankles, stripped of all clothing except for his trousers, Fili thrashed about as the guards shoved him into a dungeon cell growling at them all with an occasional hiss that sent shivers down their spines. The inhuman-like sound disturbed them even more when Fili’s crystal blue eyes would flash golden and turn serpent-like. 

The dragon refused to speak not a word to anyone no matter what they did or said. The adrenaline flowing through his veins caused his muscles to enlarge making himself look even more dangerous and feral though he was still a shorter human than the guards. 

“Can you believe this wild little man is what Prince Kili says he’s in love with?” The blond guard quipped as the three guards that brought him in stood around joking amongst themselves watching their captive sulk in his iron cell. 

“Love him as a pet maybe, like a wild dog! Look at him!” The dark haired guard laughed out loud when Fili shot him an evil side look. 

“He’s mangy enough to be a wild dog!” The redheaded guard added.

"Come on, guys, you know how Kili is! I'm sure this mangy mountain peasant is just another plaything like his she-elf bed slave!" The blond guard said stepping a little closer to the cell to get a closer look at the blond. "That boy must have a thing for exotic kinky sex I guess."

As the three guards laughed even harder, Fili lunged at the iron bars of his cell wanting to rip them apart and eat their still beating hearts.

~`~

Kili always looked up to Balin as being the only levelheaded person in the royal court, consequentially his family for that matter that had any sense about him. The old white haired man was Kili’s tutor growing up and continued to teach him all he could about diplomacy. A subject Kili wished Thorin would brush up on.

Sitting alone in Balin’s personal quarters with this instructor, Kili took the opportunity to discuss his future plans with him in confidence.

Just as Balin finished pouring tea into his cup, Kili surprised him with unexpected information. “Balin, I trust you more than any of my relatives. I need to discuss something of great importance with you, if I have your word you will not go to my father with this information.”

“Why certainly, Kili. You’ve always been able to tell me anything. What is it, lad?” Balin sat down his tea cup to give Kili his full attention.

"When I got lost in the forest, I was taken in by a man living in a cabin in deep in the forest. We fell in love. We both believe we are one another's one true love." Kili's sweet brown eyes looked up to see Balin's reaction. 

Balin just stared blinking and thinking of how to reply. "Did he know who you are?" 

"No, that was one of the reasons I knew he was being true to me. He didn't know I was a prince, and even after I told him I was, he didn't care." Before continuing, Kili picked up his saucer and lifted the tea cup to his lips, and mumbled. "I told him I'd give up my crown for him." 

The old man's eyes widen. "Tell me you jest, Kili!" 

"No. I'd do anything for Fili, and I plan to go back to him as soon as I can." Taking up his cup and saucer for another sip, Balin's heart sank as his tea cup clinked against the saucer hearing the young man's plans. 

"Balin, I want to thank you for looking after Tauriel while I was gone. I know my father was abusing her, and she said you befriended her giving her sympathy, being the caring kind person I know you are." With a nod, the white haired man acknowledged that he had given the elf maiden a place of sanctuary and a friend to confide in. 

Kili sat forward in his seat making sure Balin could see the seriousness in his eyes. "I'm leaving just after dusk this evening, and I'm taking Tauriel with me. I plan to set her free so she can go home to her people, and hopefully Thranduil may think twice about attacking Erebor." Kili could see the worry and sadness in Balin's eyes looking back at him. "Can I trust you not to say anything or try to stop me?" 

The wise old man sighed knowing what he was about to say could put himself in jeopardy as well. "What can I do to help you?" 


	12. Chapter 12

Hearing heavy footsteps coming toward his dungeon cell, Fili lifted his eyes enough to peer through the curtain of long golden blonde curls hiding his face to see who had stopped to stare at him through the iron bars.

Feeling like a caged animal, the dragon turned his back to curl himself into the far corner of the cell the second he saw one of the guards. “You! Stand and acknowledge your king!”

“He is NOT _my king!”_ Fili shouted fiercely at the guard followed by the familiar hiss all the guards were all unnerved by. It was the first words Fili had spoken since he had been abducted home in the forest. 

Thorin stepped up to the iron cell door examining this uncivilized wretch of a man his son had told Dwalin was his true love. With his back turned to the cell door, Fili could feel someone watching him. He knew it must be Thorin, and as much as he didn’t want to look at the king, his curiosity got the better of him when the dark haired royal spoke to him.

"So you’re Fili. The man my son had mistaken as his one true love, claiming to be a prince...you're not royal, are you?” Raising an eyebrow at the one huddled in corner of the cell awaiting a reply. When the prisoner refused to answer turning away again, Thorin chuckled in a low rumble. “That’s what I thought." 

Tipping his head just a little trying to get a better look at the blond man, Thorin continued to provoke his prisoner. "Well, Fili, no matter because it seems Kili has all but forgotten about you already. Since he's been home, I've barely seen him because he has spent so much time in his bedchamber making up for lost time with his bed slave. That tall slender elf maiden with fair silky skin. Everyone passing by his door couldn't help but hear them moaning with pleasure any given hour day and night." 

Fili gave the king a side look through his long hair shading his face he made direct eye connect with Thorin’s deep blue eyes. The hiss that followed also left the king feeling uneasy as he took a slight step back from the iron bars. 

"Oh, I'm sorry. How rude of me. I suppose you didn't need to know your lover is fucking someone else now, did you?" Squeezing his eyes closed tight, Fili's insides twisted and his heart ached as if someone had thrust a dagger into his chest hoping Thorin would just stop talking and just go away, but the king pressed on. "Tell me, Fili. If you are indeed a true prince, what land do you hail from?" 

The longer the silence came between them, the shorter Thorin's patience became. "If you will not answer my questions here and now, I'm sure I can find a most unpleasant way to get out of you what I wish to know!" Fili moved swiftly from the corner of his cell smashing himself against the iron bars to face Thorin up close with another ferocious hiss, as his eyes flashed from blue to that of a golden serpent sending the king a warning. 

Thorin instantly backed away from the cell as his two guards came running to his aid slamming their axes against the iron door shouting at the prisoner to back away from the door. A chill ran down the king's spine. He had never seen anything so unearthly before, but he managed to stay calm as he collected himself leaving his prisoner behind without another word.

~`~

With the knowledge of every corridor, every secret passageway, every nook and cranny of Erebor, Balin went to work planning trying to figure out the perfect escape route for Tauriel while Kili went to speak with Thorin. The prince had every intention of telling his father he was leaving, but with obvious reasons, he did not want him to know his plans to let Tauriel return to her home. 

In return for her release, all he asked of the elf maiden was for her to convince Thranduil to meet with him to discuss the mine and the land the men and elves were warring over. Knowing Thorin would have his head if he knew what he was up to, Kili wanted to do whatever he could to end the war between their people. 

Kili entered Thorin’s parlor with much trepidation feeling as if he were entering a lion's den waiting to be attacked knowing why he was here to speak with his father. 

“I need to discuss something important with you.”

“What’s on your mind, Kili?” Thorin leaned back in his large chair with a glass of wine watching his boy fidget nervously reaching for the chair to take a seat.

“I never had the chance to tell you what happened to me on the night I got lost from the hunting party.” Not wanting Kili to know he already knew of Fili, Thorin held back a smirk wanting to hear what his son had to say. “Late that night, I came across a cabin. It had been storming and raining all day and into the evening, and I was cold, soaked and exhausted. The man that live in the cabin took me in and took great care of me.” 

Thorin couldn’t hold back his smirk any longer. “Did he now? Was he all alone way out there in the mountain forest?”

“Yes. It was a long journey home from there.”

“Anything else you want to tell me about him?”

One of Kili’s eye’s twitched. There was something in Thorin’s voice that didn’t feel right. “No.” The raven haired prince got up to leave. “I know you were probably worried about me, so I only wanted to let you know I was in good hands while I was missing.”

“Yes. I bet you were.” The dark stare from his father’s sapphire blue eyes and the deep rumble of his voice unnerved him. 

“I would like to ride back to the cabin to see my…new friend.” Thorin took a deep breath exhaling slowly thinking.

“Why? He’s just a commoner, apparently wanting to be left secluded, why would you go back out there to see him?”

“I promised to give him a few things to make his life a bit easier.”

“I see.” Thorin reached over to the table sitting his wine glass down. “Did you happen to promise him anything else?”

“What do you mean?” The prince was beginning to wonder if Thorin knew more than he thought or wanted him to know remembering what he had told Dwalin on their journey home. 

Thorin stood up and began to walk toward his bedchamber set off the parlor. “It’s getting late Kili. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”

~`~

Dori came by Kili's room with a laundry cart. The dark haired prince sat up from his bed ready to question his personal servant why he was intruding without knocking, but got answers to questions before he could ask. "Balin gave me orders, and I want you to know I'm proud of what you're doing." 

Quirking a brow, Kili had to ask, "What exactly are you doing? With that laundry cart, I mean." 

Glancing at the she-elf, Dori gave a nod toward the cart. "Tauriel needs to get inside this cart. I'm going to take her to the wash room, and once I shoo away any of the servants there, she'll be free to sneak out the door. Once you are free of the guards through the front gate, you'll need to find her. It's getting late. You won't be able to wait much longer before any suspicions are aroused." 

Kili looked at Tauriel. "Do as Dori says. He'll make sure you're safe." Making eye contact with his servant began helping the silver haired man gather some of his clothing, he trusted Dori. "Get in cart and we'll cover you with my clothes." 

Tauriel quickly climbed into the cart making herself as small as possible as the two men covered her with a pile of clothing. "I promise I'll find you as soon as I can." 

Once the cart was full enough to suffice, Dori began to push the cart toward the bedchamber door. Kili strode after the man taking him by the arm. "Dori?" They both felt a lump swelling in their throat. "Thank you. For everything."

Dori wiped a tear from his eye. "You are most welcome. Take care, Kili"

As planned, Dori took the laundry cart directly to the wash room telling the only two female servants to go on and leave for the night that he had some of Kili's laundry to do. Though one of the servants protested saying it was her job to take care of the prince's laundry, Dori fought back telling her Kili asked him to do it and that was that. The scorned female left the wash room with the other servant allowing Dori time to hurry Tauriel out the door. "Kili will hopefully find you soon. Don't wander too far. Good luck to you, my dear." 

"Thank you, Dori. May the stars guide you." With a quick kiss to the top of his silver head, the elf maiden swiftly made her way through the door into the night to wait for Kili. 

~`~

Kili on the other hand, wasn't having quite the same amount of luck leaving the mountain kingdom. Trying to take his horse from its stall, a few of the horses began to snort and one whinnied alerting one of the guards nearby. 

"Who's there?" 

When the guard saw Kili, he bowed slightly. “We’ve been told not to let anyone leave this late into the evening.”

“Am I not the prince of Erebor? I should be allowed to come and goes as I please day or night.” Kili couldn’t think of anything else to force the guard to let him go, and throwing around his title to get what he wanted seemed to work most of the time.

“Apologies. Do you need help with your steed? I can fetch Nori for you.” The guard quickly changed his tone with his prince. 

“No! Um, no…don’t bother Nori. I’ll be able to get my horse saddled on my own. It may take a bit longer than it would for Nori, but I’ll be fine.” All Kili wanted now was for the guard to go away, and not stand over him while he tried to saddle his horse. Nori usually took care of getting his horse ready for him, but that was completely out of the question for he certainly didn't want Nori to know what he was doing. 

It took him much longer, and many tries to get the saddle on properly, but at last he succeeded. Traveling light, Kili took only a few items he thought they may need on their way toward Mirkwood including his quiver and bow. With a nod to the guards at the front gate, the young prince headed out into the night to search for Tauriel. 

~`~

At dawn, Thorin's personal servant brought him his morning tea and breakfast standing by while the king took his time enjoying the savory meal. Thorin was not to pleased to hear someone knocking on his door interrupting his morning quiet time. 

The servant quickly went to answer the door allowing a guard to step into the parlor bowing low. "Your majesty, apologies for the early morning intrusion." 

"Urgent news, I would hope." Thorin could see the guard was nervous, giving him the benefit of the doubt whatever he came for was of great importance. 

Without delay the guard told all he had been told. "Yes, Sire. Prince Kili is gone. Apparently he left late last night, and it seems his elf slave is missing as well." 

Immediately Thorin dismissed the guard and called for Dwalin asking him to send out some of his men assuming he was headed back to Fili's cabin in the mountain forest. Balin overheard the conversation, while hiding a sly smile. 

Many hours late into the day, everything seemed to be going as planned for Kili and Tauriel until another guard came to the throne room to give more disturbing news to the king. "Sire, I have been informed Prince Kili was not riding back to the mountain cabin as you thought." 

"Then where is he?" Thorin shouted as his blood began to boil because he knew all too well exactly where his son was going with his elf slave now he knew he wasn't going to the cabin for Fili. 

"He's planning on meeting with Thranduil." The guard took a step back as the king huffed for a moment, then calmed himself.

"Fine. When Kili arrives back in Erebor, bring the _traitor_ to me immediately...my son must have forgot that I have a special surprise waiting for him..." 


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Balin and Dwalin have a quick discussion, and Kili reveals even more of his true nature as he and Tauriel make their way toward Mirkwood.

Balin being in the throne room at the time Thorin called for Dwalin knew if Kili and Tauriel were brought back to Erebor before they made it to Thranduil, Kili was going to be in a massive amount of trouble with his father. Following after his brother, Balin caught Dwalin in the hallway as they left Thorin.

“You can do this!” The much taller brother looked down at the soft brown pleading eyes of his older brother. 

“Thorin gave me a direct order to bring Kili home, I must obey!”

“He’s not asking you to bring him _home_ , Dwalin. Thorin called him a traitor because he thinks he’s going behind his back to help the elves!”

Dwalin knew his brother too well. “You knew Kili was going to do, didn’t you?” The formidable warrior exhaled harshly. “Aaghh, you did! Balin, if Thorin finds out…is it possible that guard overheard a conversation you had with Kili about this?”

“I always thought we were safely alone when he discussed the matter. It’s possible Kili wasn’t as careful or discreet about it.” 

With a sigh the younger brother looked around making sure no one could hear him. “Did you know Fili is here?”

Balin’s eyes widen. “No! How? Why?”

“I sent a few of my men back to retrieve him after Kili told me Fili was a prince. At the time I thought it was a good idea, and Thorin should speak with him. I was afraid Fili was lying to Kili, and I also thought if he was a prince how much that could help our kingdom! But after seeing the way Thorin has treated the young lad, and the way he’s been treating Kili since he’s been home, I feel I've made a mistake.” Dwalin noticed how irrational Thorin had become since his dealings with the elf king. 

Knowing he would have to send some of his men out to retrieve Kili, he could only hope the prince would make his destination before they found him. “When Thorin ordered me to send men out to the cabin in the forest, I had no idea Kili was not headed that way. Maybe he’s far enough away he might actually make it to Mirkwood before my men reach him. No matter, Kili needs to know Fili is being held prisoner so he will come back to Erebor and try to reason with his father before Thorin does anything to extract information from the lad. Kili's the only one I believe Fili will speak to." 

Balin felt pale at the thought. "If Thorin will listen to Kili at all now. At this point, I'm not sure Fili will listen to Kili either now. I'm afraid both young men will be in grave danger if Thorin doesn't get the answers he's looking for." 

~`~

Birds chirping high in the trees above him, Kili awoke lying on his bedroll on the hard ground with a sore arm, and aching back as he rolled over to see Tauriel sitting on the ground nearby with her arms wrapped around her knees. Kili smiled at the redheaded she-elf gazing up into the trees watching the birds flit about. 

Feeling his gaze upon her, she tipped her head slightly and smiled seeing how he watched her curiously. Kili did wonder where her thoughts led her. “What are you thinking about?” 

She took a deep breath, looking at him shyly. “Freedom. Though it was unfortunate I was captured by some humans and sold as a slave, I am most grateful you were the one I was sold to. I would most likely never see the light of day again cooped up inside that mountain if I were anyone else’s slave.”

The idea of never enjoying the warm sun on his face feeling a cool breeze brush across his skin, hearing the birds song, or seeing the beauty outside the mountain and forests brought a sense of guilt and a twinge of sorrow for all the slaves that will never experience those things in their lifetime, doomed to a life imprisoned inside the stone kingdom. 

“It was wrong of me to think I could own another person to use for my own pleasure.” Kili hung his head in shame. “I only hope in returning you to your home, you will forgive me.”

Tauriel knew her master was young, and only beginning to understand the world. Being immortal and already a thousand years young, the elf maiden admired how humble Kili had become since he returned home from his lost adventure.

“I appreciate the kindness you’ve always shown me…even while we were…” An embarrassed grin graced the prince’s face seeing the she-elf blush as well at the thought of lying together.

“You are a gentle, graceful female. I would never harm such beauty.” Though he had been enthralled with the elf, his thoughts returned to his one. “Fili is beautiful in a different way.”

Thankful to change the subject she touched upon, she had been curious as well. “Fili must have made quite an impression on you. You’re more confident, even more kind and caring than before you left. Tell me about him.”

Now Kili’s smile lit his face more than the sunshine filtering through the trees. “Fili is more than just beauty to the eye. He radiates confidence with his strong-willed nature, and he is so protective of me. He is also very sweet, thoughtful, loving and kind to me. He taught me how to do things giving me confidence, making me stronger in ways I never felt before. Everything I could have wished for in a mate…my one. Most of all, his heart if pure. I only hope our love is true, written in the stars that he can give his heart to me for eternity, or I shall walk this world alone until my dying day because I want no other.”

The more Kili spoke, the more clarity he had of himself. “I never realized how shallow and materialistic I was. There should be no boundaries where love is concerned. We are all living breathing beings with love to share with others no matter if they are human, elf or…any other race. It is our world to share together. Love and understanding of our differences can let our world thrive. Only evil, greed, and hate for those different than our own will destroy us all.”

Tauriel was stunned at the depth in which Kili spoke. She had always known him as selfish, cocky and very materialistic. Personal attributes that no longer seemed to apply to the young prince. “Erebor will be lucky to have you as their king someday.”

“I promised Fili I would give up my crown.” Quick to respond, the elf maiden was even more shocked at the prince’s word. Kili's tone diminished returning to the reality of their situation and what he had done leaving his father without telling him the truth about his plans and intentions. “Either way, that day may never come when my father finds out my intent to negotiate with Thranduil without his consent…I may never see the light of day again if he finds me.”

"Aren't you Thorin's only heir?" The elf wasn't sure she knew all there was no know about the royal family. 

"Was the only heir. I assume there is a cousin somewhere to take my place...I never thought about it. I always assumed I'd marry and have children, but being with Fili is more important to me than continuing my royal lineage." At the thought, Kili wondered how selfish that sounded, to just walk away from his people, and maybe Fili wanted children of his own to be his heir. 

Pushing himself off his bedroll, Kili gathered their things. He didn't want to think about it anymore. All he knew was how much he loved Fili, and couldn't wait to be in his arms again. 

Soon Kili and Tauriel were off again riding through the woods toward Mirkwood. Tauriel knew the area in well in which they had just entered. She was able to show Kili a few secret ways through the woods off the beaten path. Within a few hours, the she-elf warned how close they were to the strange forest. 

Tauriel dismounted the horse looking up her companion. "Kili, you've brought me this far. Your intent was to set me free. The horse cannot enter the forest, it is too dangerous for him. It could also prove to be very dangerous for you as well, if any of my people find you. I think it's time I go on alone. As I promised, I will speak with Thranduil for you. If he agrees to speak with you, where should I find you?" 

"Do you remember the cave we passed along the way?" With a nod from the she-elf, Kili concluded. "That is where I will be. Trust me, Tauriel. I want our people to stop fighting. I'm hoping my gesture of returning you and offering to negotiate will be enough to end the madness between Thranduil and my father." 

Tauriel slightly bowed in a somewhat learned behavior around her master. Kili smiled to lighten the mood. "You do not need to bow to me, Princess of Mirkwood. I see you as my friend now. Will you at least forgive me so my heart can be at peace?" 

Oddly enough, the elf princess felt tears prick her eyes. "Of course, I forgive you, Prince Kili." They did share a special bond for the time they had spent together. "May the stars guide your path." 

"Farewell until we meet again." The horse obeyed Kili's commands to turn and gallop back from the direction in which they came, running through the day in search of the cave the prince intended to set up camp. There in the small cave, Kili would wait for a message or a visit from the elven king. 

Day and night had fallen once more, however this morning Kili knew he would not awaken to the sweet sounds of birds flitting through the trees lying in the cold cave, but feeling the sharp tip of a sword laid against his chest was very unexpected to say the least. 

With a startled gasp, Kili felt the pinch of the blade press into his skin when he moved suddenly seeing the dark outline of someone hovering over him. 

"Get up! We have orders you are to come with us..." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who has come for Kili? Is it the elves or Dwalin's men? ;)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tauriel returns home to Mirkwood. Dis make a decision for the dragon's next move to save Yavanna, and Balin meets Fili in secret. Kili's going to be in quite a predicament.

Soon after Tauriel was found in the woods nearing her home, the guards ushered her with haste to their king. The elf maiden was dizzy with emotions overwhelming her. Thranduil stood from his throne, taken aback by the sight of her. 

“Tauriel! I never thought we’d see you again!” Turning to one of his servants he sent orders. “Find Legolas immediately! Tell him of his wife’s return!” 

The princess bowed before her king. “My lord, I was returned safely by Prince Kili of Erebor himself. He asked that I relay his message that he personally wishes an audience with you.”

Thranduil stood wide eyed, mouth agape unbelieving a human could be so bold and rash. “King Thorin knows nothing of this, nor does he know Kili’s intent to speak with you. Please, my lord. Kili has done nothing to harm me, and has forever been kind and gracious with me. Not that you would listen to anything I have to say, but I trust him, and I would think it wise to speak with him if only to hear what he has to say.”

Legolas burst into his father’s throne room. “Tauriel!” Scooping his wife into his arms to hold her in a tight embrace, tears streamed down her cheeks as the young prince kissed her again and again. Both beaming at the sight of one another. 

“You’re alright? How did you get here?” Tauriel told her story once again to her husband. Though he wasn’t entirely pleased, he was overjoyed to have his wife in his arms once more. 

Brushing her long silky red hair aside, he froze at the sight of fading bluish bruises on the creamy pale skin of her neck.

“If Kili was so good to you, then what is this?” 

Tauriel remembered the marks left by Thorin as she reached for her neck to pad her fingers over the bruises. “Kili did not do this to me.” She thought carefully before speaking again to explain. “He had been away for a long period of time, and someone else used me without his knowledge.”

Legolas was angry, but accepted his wife's word that it was not Kili who caused physical harm to her. “I would have his head, if I were to see the bastard who hurt you this way.”

The princess wanted to change the subject, and see her husband smile again. “This nightmare is over, and I’m with you again, my love.” 

The elven prince couldn’t help but smile again knowing his wife was now home safe with him, but before spending any intimate time with her, he ordered Tauriel’s handmaidens to draw a bath for her immediately to wash away the filth of humans that lingered upon her.

With the usual grace of elves, the handmaidens did as ordered. Alone with the princess, they couldn’t help but question Tauriel about her time living with the royal humans. Tauriel scolded them at first for even asking, but finally gave in telling them how kind Kili had always been with her.

The young handmaidens could hear the lilt in Tauriel’s voice as they looked at each other and giggled. “Forgive me, my lady, but you speak of this human prince as if you were quite taken with him?” One of them said before the other maiden added, “The prince does sound wonderful and adorable!”

“Mind yourselves! Legolas is my husband, the only one I will ever love! I only speak of Prince Kili this way because he has from the first day I arrived in Erebor treated me with much respect. Jeopardizing himself to bring me home as well as wanting to speak with Thranduil all without King Thorin’s knowledge was foolish yet quite a noble gesture. Kili can be commendable as much as he is reckless. He does seem to act without thinking first, but his heart is true." 

A faint smile graced her lips remembering the love in Kili's voice as he spoke of Fili. "The one who he has claimed as his one true love, the one who holds his heart is very lucky indeed.” The royal elf maiden could only wonder now since she relayed Kili message to Thranduil what fate was in store for the young prince. She hoped all would go well so Kili could return to Fili without consequence from either king.

~`~

Rubbing the sleep from his blurry eyes, Kili could finally focus on the face of the swordsman. An elf with long brown hair watched the human prince warily making sure he was not going to make any sudden moves to attack him or his three companions.

“Did Tauriel speak with Thranduil about me? Is that why you are here?” Kili cautiously moved to stand surrounded by the elves.

“Yes. Thranduil has agreed to speak with you.” One of the elves patted the human down making sure he had no other weapons beside the sword, quiver and bow they already found leaning against the cave wall.

The elves did not converse with the human prince, and he offered no words either as they rode through the woods. Kili began to doubt what he was doing, but it was too late to turn back now. He used the time he had riding toward the elven kingdom to think of exactly what he wanted to say to Thranduil.

~`~

Gandalf knew before he ever confessed what he knew of Fili’s lover affair with the human prince would enrage the golden dragon queen. Nonetheless, he wouldn’t give up hope the dragon leaders would come to reason and accept his idea to allow this one human to help them in their quest to free Yavanna.

“Please you must let me try to convince Fili’s human to help us! Kili is the only human that knows of our existence, and if he is true to Fili then he will prove his loyalty to us!”

“We cannot allow a human into our realm, to know where we are or our fate will be sealed forever if we are found! History proved it once that humans and elves cannot be trusted!” Elrond shot back. The keeper of knowledge knew every detail of what the lesser races had done to their kind thousands of years ago.

“Dis, do you not remember the torture brought upon your kin? The humans killed the goldens for their scales and their hides! And Gandalf! The elves tortured the greys seeking their magical powers!”

The golden queen looked toward Gandalf. The great grey dragon could see the despair and concern upon her face, and he hoped she would come to the same conclusion he had. 

Galadriel added with knowledge from her dreams, “They covet wealth and material things like the gems and gold of our caves as well. Apparently the more they have gives them power over one another to rule. Is this what we want brought upon us once more? Frivolous wars and killing over material wealth?”

Dis looked toward her fading husband knowing the future of all dragons now rest on her. “I speak for my husband, King Frerin. We have no choice. Yavanna is fading fast. Sending the human into the black dragon’s cave is our only chance at freeing her.” 

The golden female turned her sinewy neck around to face Gandalf as she gave him orders. "Gandalf, you know where to go. Go to Fili, and explain what a dire time this is for us, and have him convince his human to help us, but do NOT bring Fili back here! He must remain in his human form to be safe from those black dragons." 

~`~

Fili paced around inside his dungeon cell like the caged animal he was. The sight of any guard sent him crawling into the corner of the cold stone prison turning his back on them refusing to speak. The young golden dragon was beginning to fade with sorrow feeling the loss of his mate that betrayed him as well as he now also refused to eat.

Balin convinced Dwalin to sneak him into the dungeon to speak with Fili. Much to the warrior leaders dismay, he managed to convince the guards to leave allowing Balin entrance without the guards knowledge of this meeting. Dwalin stood guard while his brother spoke with their prisoner quietly. 

At the sound of a quite different voice, Fili was shocked to see the white haired old man standing at his cell door and not some arrogant guard. He didn't know quite what to make of Balin for he was the first person to speak to him in such a mild manner. 

"Fili, my name is Balin. I am a cousin of Kili's and King Thorin's. I want you to know I put myself at risk coming here to speak with you, so I hope you'll hear me out and know I speak truth." Balin smiled warmly trying to ease any concerns the young man may have though he could see in the prisoner's eyes he was very suspicious of him. 

"First, I want you to know Kili knew nothing of you brought here. I just recently found out you were here. Kili made plans to escape Erebor to return his slave to her people, and from there he was going to go back to you. To the cabin where he found you." Balin saw the light in Fili's blue eyes return. 

"That was all he spoke of to me. Kili was ready to give up everything for you. He loves you and wants more than anything to be with you." For the first time since he had been locked in the cell, Fili felt a little bit of trust in the word of this human. 

Fili stood from the corner of his cell and cautiously walked up to face Balin separated by the iron bars. "Where is Kili now?" 

Balin shook his head slowly speaking in truth. "I honestly don't know. He left in the dark of night a few nights ago. I do not know his fate." 

The dragon's heart sank. "I'm not sure if I trust him. Thorin led me to believe Kili had forgotten me and did not love me as he said. I do not know what to believe now." 

"Believe what I say. Believe in Kili. He may seem a bit flighty, a little arrogant and self-centered at times, but believe me when I say that boy's heart is true, and he never lies. Kili always says what he means." Dwalin motioned for Balin it was time to go. "He always has good intentions and wants to do the right thing, though a lot of times things don't always go as planned for him. Follow your heart judging Kili." 

Getting lost in Balin's sincerity, Fili gave a nod feeling hope returning to him. Knowing Kili was out in the world alone worried the dragon as much as he worried about his own fate now. 

~`~

Kili had never been more nervous in all his young life as he approached Thranduil, king of the elves. He felt Prince Legolas' vibrant blue eyes boring into him, only to feel some tension leave him when he caught a glimpse of Tauriel's serene smile. 

Thranduil remained seated allowing his guards to escort Kili to the dais before ordering them to step aside. Kili knelt before the elven king to greet him with respect. 

Studying the human prince, the immortal thousands of years wiser than the boy was curious. "You risk much coming here alone without Thorin's knowledge." 

Kili stood as he began addressing Thranduil. "My wish is to stop the war between our people. Forgive me that I am young, and I do not understand why we fight over land and mines, but I do not see why we cannot come to an agreement over the matter rather than wage war losing the lives of so many of our people." 

"The more land and wealth we have the more powerful we are as a kingdom." Thranduil thought that was a basic idea the prince should already understand. 

"But do we not all share this same world? There are no lines drawn in the ground to divide us. Why do we create these boundaries only to separate us? Mine and yours, why can this land and the mine be _ours?_ " Kili could tell already Thranduil was just as stubborn as his father. He didn't need to hear another word and he knew this meeting was going nowhere.

"Find another mine for my people, and I'll stop this war and remove my people from the land and mine your father believes is his immediately. That is my final offer to you, Prince Kili. Convince Thorin of that, and your quest will be fulfilled." Thranduil stood from his throne striding toward the human prince with a stern commanding air about him. "Erebor will be under attack next if you do not succeed in finding a new mine for us. Am I clear?" 

There was no other way around the ultimatum he was given. It was very clear what the prince must do now. "Yes. I hoped our people could work together to achieve a common goal to share the mine, but I see now our people will never be as one to live and work side by side. I will do as you wish. I will find a mine for you, but please understand. If I do this alone, I will need much time to do so. Until then, may I ask of you to cease the fighting until I can fulfill my promise?" 

It took everything out of the righteous king, but Thranduil agreed to call back his warriors from the fighting near the mine they now occupy even if it meant the humans would take it back leaving Kili with an ominous warning. "Don't take too long or your days will be numbered, and Erebor will be overrun with elves." 

It was going to be a long journey back to Erebor knowing he must face Thorin, and tell him what he had done. Kili's thoughts of Fili consumed most of his travel time. _'I hope you're doing well, Fili. Forgive me for not returning to you sooner. I hope you understand what I must do.'_


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili is returned to Thorin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: as mentioned in the tags, Torture will occur in this chapter if you wish to skip. I'm not good at writing detailed graphic scenes and did not want to give this a graphic warning tag, but I also didn't want to spring this on anyone if it could be a trigger for someone, so this is your warning.

Kili had barely spent a day riding away from Mirkwood on his way to begin his search for a new mine for Thranduil when Dwalin’s guards and warriors found him. They immediately surrounded their prince to escort him the rest of the way making sure he didn’t wander off and get lost again, or try to lose them intentionally.

Being captured and forcibly brought back to Erebor was not good. This was going to slow down his quest to find another mine for Thranduil, a promise he intended to keep so he could keep another more important promise to return to Fili as soon as possible.

The closer they came to Erebor Kili’s heartbeat quicken fearing what his father would do when he found out what he had done. He could care less what he might say to him, but Thorin wasn’t the reasonable forgiving type and even more unstable than usual these days it seemed. Banishment would be a blessing at this point, and he would consider himself lucky if that would be his punishment.

Thorin adored his son, cherished him even more after his wife and infant son disappeared many years ago when Kili was just a small child, but he would not go unpunished if he found him to be guilty of treason. Especially during this time of war with the elves. 

The king also was not pleased with the mountain man held in his dungeon he thought was using Kili for his own gain. He didn’t believe for a second Fili was a prince. Thorin thought he knew of all the lands and their rulers, and since Fili would not cooperate giving up any information about where he came from, the king felt strongly he was a liar. If only he could prove he was a prince, then the kingdom of Erebor may have something to gain from this union, and Thorin was determined to get the truth out of the young man one way or another. 

~`~

Gandalf flew near and around Fili’s cabin searching for any sign of him. Not wanting to take a chance of being seen, the grey dragon found a place in the clearing to land and shapeshift into his human form. The old grey wizard became concerned when neither Fili nor Kili were nowhere to be found, and even more alarmed when he saw signs of a struggle in the dirt just outside the cabin door where Fili's sword had been tossed aside left abandon. 

Calling out their names once more without an answer, the keeper of magic threw out a spell to recreate the scene that had played out here. The horror of seeing Fili being captured and taken prisoner by the three human guards and the warrior terrified and incensed the great grey dragon leader. Running out to the clearing the dragon readily transformed once more into his true form and flew toward Erebor. Being sighted was a chance worth taking to find the last prince of the golden dragons.

"Mahal watch over me...and Fili. I'm coming for you little one." 

~`~

A guard on each side of Kili firmly grasped his arms marching him directly into the throne room, delivering him to his father. The look on Thorin's face confirmed how much trouble Kili already knew he was in as he immediately dropped to kneel on the cold marble floor before his king. 

Kili's voice faltered as he tried to speak. "F-father, I-I'm sorry for running away, and I...I never meant to cause any more trouble for you or our kingdom..." 

"What was the meaning of this treason? Why did you meet with that despicable elf king without my knowledge?" Thorin bellowed. "And you let that she-elf bitch go. She should have been locked up in our mountain forever! Mahal only knows what secrets she could have learned from conversations overheard! Not to mention she possibly knows our secret passage ways into our mountain? Kili what were you thinking?" Kili cringed at the harsh tone of his father's deep angry voice yelling at him. 

"I went to Thranduil because I wanted to try to do something to end the war between our people! And all I really want is to go back to the man I met in the cabin in the mountain forest. I want to..." The words laid heavy on his tongue. There was no way Kili could tell his father now that he wished to give up his crown for Fili. "...to...I'm sorry. I was only trying to do what I thought best for our kingdom." 

Thorin looked around the room, eyes landing on the captain of the guards. "Nori, take Kili to the dungeon." 

Kili locked eyes with his father. "What? The dungeon? But...but why?" Fear of being locked away, not able to get back to Fili raced through his thoughts. 

"Because you're a traitor! I would've never believed you would turn against me or your own people!" 

"That was never my intent! Father, you have to believe me! What I did I did _for_ our people!" 

Kili knew going to Thranduil was a mistake. A human prince groveling at the feet of the elven king was shameful to their people, but Thorin had a much deeper reason for hating the elves. A reason Kili knew nothing about. Thorin would seek to go fairly easy on his traitorous son due to this oversight seeking a second chance for his boy. 

"I will not have you locked away if you help me, Kili. Because you are my son, I am willing to give you another chance. Are you willing to redeem yourself, Kili?" Feeling the smugness in his father's voice, Kili could only imagine what he would have him do now as he gave a nod knowing whatever the king had in mind may be his last chance for redemption. "You will cooperate with me, and help me and our people on my terms, not yours or the elves. You will do as I say, is that clear?" 

"Yes. I will do as you wish." The prince had no other choice, but to follow his father's orders or be locked in a dungeon cell to live out the rest of a very long life of misery. 

"Let's go, Kili." One last nod he gave to Nori as the guard escorted the prince to the dungeon. Going down the dark stairwell, Kili felt the air growing colder the deeper they descended into the mountain toward the dungeon. 

Nori didn't want to do this to Kili, he didn't want any part of what he knew awaited the young prince. "Kili, please forgive me. I'm only following orders." 

"I know Nori." Kili still truly believed in himself, and wished Thorin would come to reason with him, but the rational side of the king was lost. 

Thorin followed them shortly afterwards. Standing mere inches from his disloyal son’s face, eyes glaring deep into his as he quietly, but firmly gave his orders. 

“You are to stand here next to me. Do not move, do not to speak, not a word unless I ask you a question or order you to do something. If you do not obey me, you will be locked in the dungeon forever, am I clear?”

Kili trembled not knowing what was in store for him. “Yes, Father.”

“Bring out our prisoner!” Thorin knew what he was about to do was going to not only punish Kili, but get the answers he wanted from his son’s apparent true love.

Kili couldn’t control the loud gasp that escaped him. The horror of seeing Fili being pulled along in chains like a rabid animal to the center of the small arena shattered Kili’s heart into a thousand shards ripping into his soul. Wearing only his undergarments, the guards bound the blond with arms and legs spread out, tied tightly to a rack on display for the few of them there to witness the king’s questioning of the prisoner. 

When the a hooded guard walked out holding a whip with a long braided leather strap, tears that welled fell from Kili’s eyes knowing what they were about to do to his beloved Fili. 

He wanted to scream, to tell Fili he had nothing to do with this. He wanted to break away and run to free him. He wanted to shout at his father to stop what had yet to start, but knowing if he uttered a single word or make a move as he had been ordered not to, he would immediately forfeit himself jeopardizing Fili even more. 

Fili regarded Kili only for a moment with a look of sorrow turning to disgust as the blond dropped his head refusing to look toward his false mate again. Balin had given him hope where there was none. Kili stood by his father to play a role in his torture. No physical pain could amount to the pain he felt in his heart for the love he had lost to such treachery. 

Thorin could feel the tension mounting between his son and prisoner. It was perfect. He had them both right where he wanted them. 

"Fili, you refused to answer my questions from the comfort of your dungeon cell, so now you will answer me if you do not wish to be lashed to death...or be pulled apart." The king felt he was just in giving his prisoner a chance to answer his simple questions before proceeding with any punishment. "I want you to tell me the truth. Are you a prince?" 

When the blond prisoner did not answer nor did he even look in Thorin's direction, the guard was give a signal. The guard lifted the whip bringing it down swift and hard. The leather cut across the young man's back as muscles tightened and tensed with the searing pain of his flawless golden flesh being ripped open. If that wasn't enough, the torturer turned the handle a notch pulling the corners of the rack further apart stretching Fili's limbs just enough for him to realize eventually he would be pulled apart as Thorin warned. 

Fili cried out as the whip tore his human thin silk like skin. The young dragon had never been subjected to any pain comparable to this all his thousand years. His crystal blue eyes flew open locking with Kili's. Fear, anger, despair, hate. All the emotions read in Fili's eyes were gut-wrenching. 

Kili flinched trying desperately not to say or do anything as the tears continued to stream down his cheeks. Nori stood next to the raven haired prince wanting to console him somehow, but knew he could do nothing either. 

Thorin gave the blond a moment to let the pain of his first warning sink in before he asked another question. "Kili told you he was a prince. Living in such a lowly manner secluded in the mountain must be very hard. Did you not see an opportunity to better yourself by making my son believe you were a prince as well hoping to gain his affections?" 

Fili rolled his eyes. Humans were so materialistic it was pathetic, yet he refused to speak. A second lash was dealt with the king's order after given time to answer which he did not. The second lash burned even more than the first as the blood trailed down his back, and the rack was pulling at his limbs once more. 

Thorin asked the next question which he wanted to know even more. "Where is your homeland? Where do you hail from?" 

By no means would Fili answer that question. He would rather die than let this miserable human know of his dragon kin. Fili screamed as the leather slashed his back two times this go. Breathing heavily, gasping for air the blond glared at Kili who just stood there doing nothing to stop his torture. _'How could he let this happen to me?'_

Again and again Thorin questioned Fili, receiving no answers the blond was brutally whipped repeatedly until his back, arms and legs were pouring blood. Fili moaned writhing in pain beginning to succumb to the agony as he began to lose consciousness as he couldn't be stretched apart any further without breaking. 

Dragons skin was also thin beneath the impenetrable scales that protected their bodies, but only those who had lost scales were vulnerable to injury. The young dragon had never lost a scale, but feared if he survived this human torture it was possible some of his scales would no longer be there when he returned to his true form. 

The king was not going to stop until he was satisfied getting the man to tell him something. He drew his sword and approached his victim who was barely conscious. Fili's vision was growing dim just as Thorin laid the edge of his sword against the blond's neck as he asked one last question. 

"Why were you living secluded in such a pitiful manner if you are a prince?" Pressing the sharp blade into the skin he slowly drew blood sliding the edge of the blade across his neck. 

Kili didn't know why he did it. Fear for Fili's life maybe, but the word flew from his mouth. "War!" 

"War?" Thorin turned sharply toward Kili. "Had he told you this?" Kili was overwhelmed and fell to his knees leaning against Nori's leg. 

Thorin strode over to Kili and jerked him up from the ground by his neck. "What else do you know you haven't told me? Where are his people and why are they at war?" Shaking Kili squeezing his fist tighter around his son's neck warning him he had better give him an answer. 

When Fili heard Kili give up his kin's secret, he wanted to die. "The Arkenstone!" Kili breathed out the best he could while being straggled. Thorin released his son long enough to hear him out. "Fili's kin is warring against those who holds an artifact that has given them the greatest power in Middle Earth! His people are trying to get it from their enemy so they can destroy it!" 

Fili lifted his head to glare at Kili with loathing for the betrayal he had displayed this day. Kili knew what Fili was thinking. He didn't care what Thorin did to him anymore as he pleaded for Fili's forgiveness. "Fili! I had nothing to do with this, I swear! Please forgive me! I love you!" 

Thorin backhanded his son knocking him to the ground. Nori stepped back in shock. He couldn't believe what he witnessing of his king. The guard captain thought Thorin had lost his mind. "Thorin! Kili's just a boy! He's done nothing but to try and please you!" 

Thorin rounded on Nori as well pointing his sword at him. "It would be wise for you to keep your mouth shut!" 

The king lifted Kili again by his tunic holding him in a firm grip. "What else do you know of this Arkenstone? Where is it now?" 

Kili gave Fili the most apologetic look he could muster before answering his irate father. "What I told you is all I know of it. I do not know where it or their enemy is located." 

Thorin let go of his son ordering him to disrobe. It was obvious Fili was stubborn as granite, and would truly die before speaking, but maybe there was another way to get him to talk. 

Thorin called for two other guards keeping a wary eye on Nori. "Bind him to the rack." Kili swallowed thickly knowing what was about to happen to him as he heard his father order the guard who had beaten Fili to join them at the rack identical to Fili's located behind them. Once the raven haired prince was bound, Thorin went to stand near Fili. 

"Kili is going to be lashed as you were until you tell me where your homeland is located, Fili. I want to know where that stone is! If you truly love him, you won't let this happen, will you?" Fili was barely holding on to his sanity trying to reason with himself what he should do. Kili's look of absolute fear and agonizing pain broke the dragon's heart as the whip lashed across his mate's back. 

Kili cried out when the leather whip fell harshly across his back once again at Thorin's command. "Fili! Tell him! I do not know where you're from, you have to tell him or he will kill us both! Please!" 

Fili hissed. His eyes flared from blue to golden serpent eyes again and again with every stroke of the whip beating his mate as Kili's blood flew through the air pooling beneath him. Kili may have betrayed him, but something deep inside told him he was his One. Regardless of what Kili had done, Fili's instinct to protect his mate took over. Somehow he found the strengthen to twist and pull until enough adrenaline rushed through his veins to free one of his hands from its binding. 

From the moment the golden dragon was born, it was imprinted on him to protect and defend his mate without hesitancy. Without thinking about the consequences, Fili grabbed ahold of the amulet still hung around his neck. "Stop hurting him! Let Kili go now or I will kill you all!" 

For a moment, all the guards and Thorin fell silent turning to regard Fili. Seeing his free hand grasping something dangling from the leather strap about his neck, Thorin started to go toward him until Fili threatened him again. "I said stop!" 

The second Thorin reached for Fili's hand to see what he held, wind blew the king backward across the room as golden light blinded them all. The loudest deafening roar echoed through the small arena and the halls through the kingdom. Everyone above thought they had felt an earthquake, and screamed hearing the roar uncertain of what was happening. 

There standing before them was a terrifying sight. Fili the golden dragon prince glared at them all with rage and contempt as he gave a little snort as he growled lowering his snout toward Thorin. Nori hurried to release Kili from his binding. "Did you know this?" The captain of the guard asked the prince in a whisper. Seeing Kili nod, Nori felt slightly relieved, though Thorin was petrified hiding in the corner of the obsidian halls. 

The black polished stone allowed Fili to look down at his reflection that glowed gold. Knowing what he had done as he looked at Kili made him wish had let them kill him for certain now remembering what Gandalf had told him about his enchantment. If he used the amulet to transform himself before Saruman was defeated and the Arkenstone destroyed, Fili would remain a dragon forever, never being able to transform into human form again. 

Screams came from the stairwells as people of the kingdom ran to the dungeon to seek hiding, Nori, Thorin, Kili and the guards all looked at one another in confusion. The people were screaming "Dragon!" yet they were running into the dungeon where the dragon was standing.

Nori saw Dwalin running into the arena with wide eyes and mouth agape at the sight of the golden dragon standing over them. "Dwalin! What's going on?" 

"I was about to ask you the same thing!" The warrior gaped. "There is a monstrous grey dragon approaching the mountain! Everyone was running down here for cover, but..." 

The ground shook violently, and more frantic screams came from above. 

Nori shook his head in disbelief and shouted. "You mean there's another one?" 

Kili ignored the pain gripping his body as the sticky blood oozed down his back. He grabbed some of his clothes to dress as quickly as he could fight against the stinging, burning pain. "Fili! It has to be Gandalf! He's looking for you!" 

Fili scooped Kili up with one claw allowing him to climb onto his neck. "Slip your arms under a scale, and hold on tight Kili. Try to lay low while I break us out of here." The little dragon was determined to flee this mountain for good as he took off flying upward toward one of the stairwell openings at the highest peek in the depths of the dungeon. He didn't have to try to break out though because the stone broke open from the other side with the sound of another deafening roar a hundred times louder than Fili. 

Every human shouted and screamed in fear of the grey behemoth tearing up their kingdom in his search for the golden prince. "I'm here Gandalf! I'm coming!" The little dragon followed his elder out of the mountain kingdom into the blue skies over Erebor flying once more. 

"Free at last!" Fili sighed trying to catch his breath. 

Gandalf shook his head and countered seeing the human warriors below racing after them on horses. "You may be free of Erebor, but I believe we just started a war with the humans..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry about Thorin...he's bat-shit crazy right now, but he'll straighten up much later on in the story ;)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili and Fili try to mend their relationship, and Gandalf explains the dangerous quest he has planned for Kili.

Once they were far over the forest away from the humans on the ground chasing after them, Gandalf slowed down enough to fly over Fili to assess his wounds.

He tsked and shook his large head. “Pity. Are you in pain Fili?”

“Yes. I’m not going to be brave and lie about it. I’m aching everywhere and my back feels like it’s on fire.” 

Gandalf saw the slight welling of tears in the little dragon’s crystal blue eyes. “I want to take you two to the cabin so we are safe away from the humans. I’ll take care of you there as soon as we land. Do you think you can make it that far, Fili?”

"Yes. I can manage flying that far I suppose." 

Fili had almost forgotten about Kili until he could feel him shifting beneath one of the large scales near the base of his long neck near his back. 

“Kili? Are you alright?”

“Other than being terrified flying so high in the sky above the world below, then yes, I’m good!” Kili hissed from the stinging pain when the material of his tunic pulled free from where it had adhered to his skin with blood sticking to the wounds across his back.

“You are wounded badly, Fili. I’m so sorry they did this to you!” Looking behind him to investigate Fili’s long body, he could see telltale signs of injury beneath his scales, and a few scales were missing as Fili feared. His beautiful golden body would most definitely be scarred. 

“I’ll be alright once I’m far away from here. No matter how agonizing my pain is, I have no intention of stopping anywhere remotely close to humans.”

Kili hung his head though Fili couldn’t see him, he could hear the sympathy in voice and how genuinely sorry he was for what had happened.

“Fili, I am truly sorry for everything. I want you to know, I honestly didn’t even know you were in Erebor until they brought you into the dungeon arena. I had even runaway from Erebor to take my slave back to her home in Mirkwood so I could speak with the Elven king.” Remembering his promise to Thranduil, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to complete the quest he had agreed upon. 

“I was on my way to do what Thranduil asked, when the guards of Erebor found me and brought me back there. Father was going to lock me up if I didn’t do as he asked. Fili, I swear to you I had nothing to do with you being brought there and held prisoner. Please, you must believe me. I love you so much, Fee.” 

Fili could feel how Kili had snuggled down beneath the large scale to try and hug his tender skin. “I’m still hurt and confused, Kee. You betrayed me and my kin telling Thorin about the Arkenstone! Can we just fly in silence for a while? We can talk about this later. I need sometime to think clearly about everything.”

“I understand if you don’t trust me or believe me, Fili. I probably wouldn’t trust or believe me either at this point, but I am being honest with you, my love.”

Just before they made it to the cabin, they spotted a fairly large pond to stop at long enough for Fili to wash his wounds, and let Gandalf try to heal him to best he could with the small amount of healing the magical dragon could do. 

Kili sat some distance away watching how sweetly Gandalf cared for the smaller dragon. They may have been terrifying and ferocious looking creatures that myths and legends told tales of, but seeing them in real life interacting with one another, Kili realized they were soulful beings with feelings and emotions just like humans. They felt pain, sorrow and grief as well as they could be caring, loyal, honest, loving beings. 

Love. Kili sighed sitting there in the grass mindlessly pulling at the longer strands of grass. He knew how much he and Fili loved one another. They knew they were meant to be together, but fate was cruel and had taken that from them the moment Fili transformed back into his true self. How could a massive beast and a tiny human ever be together as bonded mates in such opposite bodies now, he wondered. Fili had made the decision he wanted to remain in his human form, but now that he used the amulet to reverse the enchantment transforming himself before it was time, he was destine to remain a dragon forever. 

Gandalf made the decision they would spent the night at the cabin where they could sleep before they continued on to their homeland. The two dragons sat together in the clearing watching Kili go about his business of bringing buckets of water to heat up for his tub. 

After the third trip back from the creek, the prince dropped the bucket and stood outside the cabin breathing heavily from exertion. 

“What’s the matter?” Fili asked curiously.

“This…” Kili tried to speak between breaths. “…is more work…than…its worth. I think I’ll just go bathe in the creek.” 

Fili smirked the best he could as a dragon. “He’s still a weak little human.”

Gandalf chuckled. “At least he tried. Go easy on him, Fili. I believe from what he's told us, he’s been through a lot as well.”

"Yes. He has." The golden dragon snorted. "I'm still very angry with him though for telling those humans about the Arkenstone. Thorin is going to try to find it now, I have no doubt. I could feel how greedy he is. His aura felt...tainted." 

"We all made mistakes. I acted without thinking as well, Fili. I was so concerned about making sure you were safe, I've exposed to the humans the fact dragons do exist. Hmm, as did you." Gandalf tipped his head toward the smaller dragon. 

"I didn't have time to think about it when I knew Kili as being hurt. You know as well as I do, it was my instinct to protect my mate." Fili looked up at the wise grey dragon. "I can never be human again, can I, Gandalf?" 

With a pitiful look, the magical dragon shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Fili. You broke the enchantment before its time." 

"But Kili is my One! How are we ever going to be together this way?" 

Kili emerged from the woods naked carrying his blood stained clothing all dripping wet. Gandalf went to him. "Let me see your wounds." After the large grey dragon assessed the human's injuries, he did the best he could to heal him with much more success than what he could do for Fili. Gandalf also knew Kili had no other clothes so he cast a spell to clothe him. Kili smiled shyly ever so grateful thanking the elder dragon. 

"Kili, there was another reason why I came looking for you and Fili. We dragons need _your _help." Fili became curious as he reached out a claw for Kili sit in while Gandalf spoke to them both.__

"Fili, you know Yavanna has been taken prisoner by the black dragons?" With a nod Fili acknowledge his elder waiting for him to continue. 

Kili gave Fili a quizzical look. "Who is Yavanna?" 

Before Fili could answer, Gandalf pressed on. "She is the leader of the green dragons. Yavanna is the keeper of life. She has been a prisoner of the black dragons for quite a long time now. Surrounded by evil she is fading fast...Kili, do you understand what would happen if the keeper of life were to fade away?" 

Kili pursed his lips and looked up at Fili once again. "Bad things, I'm sure." Fili nodded as he lowered his snout giving his mate a little sniff. Catching Kili off guard, Fili's long slippery tongue licked him from his rear upward through his wet hair causing the brunet to whirl around. "Hey! What's was that about?"

The golden dragon grinned and sort of shrugged. "Sorry. You just smelled so good, I just wanted to taste you." 

"Fine. Just don't say I taste good enough to eat!" Running fingers through his long wet locks, Kili frowned at Fili amusing the dragon. 

"Fili, this is serious, please." Gandalf sighed keeping patience with the young ones. "Yes, Kili, bad things would happen if anything happens to Yavanna, indeed! Unfortunately, the black dragon's cave is heavily guarded both at the entrances and in the air. No dragons other than the black dragons can get near that cave without being detected. Not even my magical grey dragons. The black dragons not only can smell and detect dragons other than their own kin, but they are very sensitive to magic, so no spell or enchantment can be used to trick them." 

"Because you have confessed your love for Fili, as you both believe you are one another's true love, you are the only human we can trust in our time of need. Kili, I have been ordered by Queen Dis to see to it you prove your loyalty not only Fili, but to our kin." Gandalf saw the faint look of trepidation come from the young dragon holding his human mate. 

"The quest we have for you is very dangerous, but necessary. We need you to infiltrate the cave of the black dragons and free Yavanna, and if at all possible...find and retrieve the Arkenstone." Simply stated, Gandalf got directly to the point. 

Kili leaned back inside the palm of Fili's claw looking dumbfounded as he stuttered and squeaked out incoherent words. "I, eh, tha...in...me? I, uh, um...really? Me, do what? Dragon cave?" 

"You are our only hope in freeing the keeper of life! As I said, no dragon or magic can save her. As a human, you are small and can slip by those dragons completely unnoticed! And the Arkenstone is most likely somewhere near Saruman, their leader! Should be easy enough to find!" 

Fili didn't like to idea of putting his mate in such a danger, but he had heard it all before. Sending a human into Saruman's lair really was the only option the dragons had at this point as the life of every good and descent living thing in Middle Earth depended on Yavanna's survival. "Will you do this for us, Kili? I'd advise you not disappoint my mother, the queen. There would be no better way to prove your loyalty to me and my kin if you were to do this for us." 

Feeling a bit woozy, Kili broke into a sweat thinking about what would happen to him if he were caught. "I suppose if I were caught, death would come swiftly enough." The human prince didn't think too long about knowing if he did, he may back out. Looking from Gandalf to Fili, he gave himself to their quest. "I'll do it for you, my One, and for all your kin to show them how much you mean to me." 

Fili's tongue slipped out to lick his mate once again, but Kili flinched. "Fee!" The dragon couldn't contain himself as the tip of his tongue grazed Kili's cheek causing the human to giggle like a child. The brunet climbed out of Fili's claw to snuggle against the golden dragon's chest in the crook of his arm. "Good night, Fili. I love you." 

Fili expected Kili to want to sleep inside the cabin on the bed they once shared, but instead his mate wanted lie with him. “Kili, wouldn’t you be more comfortable in the bed inside the cabin?”

“Yes, I probably would be, but I want to sleep with you, Fili. I need to feel you next to me.” Curling up as close as he could get to Fili, the golden dragon's heart was filled with warmth and love once more as he wrapped his wing around to blanket his mate lying his head down nearby. "I love you too, Kili." 

Gandalf smiled curling into himself watching those two. "Thank you, Kili, and good night to you both. Let us all get a good nights rest, for we know not what fate awaits us tomorrow." 


	17. Chapter 17

When the crumbling stone had ceased raining down on them from above where Gandalf had broken through the upper walls, Dwalin and Nori ran to their king pulling him up from the obsidian floor littered with debris.

Wide-eyed Thorin’s chest heaved trying to catch his breath staring at the hole where the two dragons had flown away with his son as he grabbed at the large arm reaching for him. 

“Dwalin! Fili was a dragon! And that huge grey dragon, they, they flew away with Kili!”

Nori echoed Thorin’s words. “Yes, Fili is a dragon, and he’s obviously not the only one!” 

Rushing to Thorin’s side as well, Nori reached out to help Dwalin pull his king to his feet. “Don’t worry about Kili. He knew Fili was a dragon, but Thorin, what if there are hundreds of them? Kili said Fili’s kin was at war, I would imagine even thousands of dragons could exist!”

Dwalin rubbed his bald head to wipe away the chalky dust that continued to float down from the ceiling above. “Would somebody like to fill me in?! What’s going on?”

~`~

Hours after the people of Erebor had calmed down from the frightening ordeal, and the injured had been cared for, Thorin, Dwalin and Nori all went to seek council with Balin. If anyone would have the resources or knowledge concerning the days of the dragon, it would be the eldest of their kin.

“Seems as though the legends of the dragons weren’t just fantastical stories to entertain the little ones at bedtime after all.” Though it was unsettling, Balin was astounded by the idea dragons truly existed in the world, he went to work right away searching through his massive library of books and scrolls.

“They were terrifying, hideous creatures! You saw them with our own eyes, did you not?” Thorin was still in shock over the incident, but one thing weighed heavy on his mind. 

“We’ll make sure we find Kili and bring him back safely.” Dwalin reassured his king.

“I want that stone Kili spoke of. Arkenstone, yes, he called it the Arkenstone! I must have it!” Thorin shouted, then collected himself after the look he received from his kinsman.

Balin tipped his head slightly, cocking an eyebrow just a wee bit. “Aren't you the least bit concerned about Kili's safety?”

“Of course I’m worried about Kili. Those dragons could swallow him whole if they so desired!" Overcome by greed and madness the king shook with excitement. "But I…I need that stone! If it gives such great power to its keeper, I will stop at nothing to own it! And if the tales I was told as a child were true, those dragons hide vast caves of gems and gold that could be ours! We must find the dragon's realm!" 

With those words of want for power and greed, Dwalin, Balin and Nori knew where Thorin's priorities lay now.

Thorin glared at Nori. "It is quite obvious to me now why Fili wouldn't tell me where he was from, because those filthy dragons are hoarders of wealth! Balin! Find whatever you can about these dragons and where they could be immediately! I will send the largest army of men ever seen in Middle Earth in search of them!" 

Dwalin and Balin look between Nori and Thorin. Balin turned away to continue his search for whatever information he could find, while Dwalin tried to reason with their royal cousin. 

"Thorin, we may have armies of great number, but what are we against hundreds, or as Nori said, thousands of enormous winged beasts!" 

Not that Thorin would care or listen to what he had to say, but Balin feared for them all. "You would send our men to their deaths against those creatures!" Pulling a particular ancient looking scroll from the top shelf of his bookshelf far in the corner of his library, Balin shook the parchment free of dust and carefully unrolled it without allowing Thorin to notice what he had found. 

For a moment it appeared Thorin had given what Balin said some thought, but instead he began to huff away. "Just find out whatever you can about where those dragons could be. Report to me the second find anything, Balin!" 

Thorin finally calmed down a bit with this sliver of information for it was a start. "Dwalin, Nori, prepare the men for battle. The Arkenstone will be mine!" 

Nori quietly spoke to Dwalin once Thorin was far enough away from them to hear. "What's happened to him? He even threatened to kill me in the dungeon after I stood up for Kili!" 

Not knowing what went on in the dungeon, Dwalin could only imagine due to the king's behavior as of late. "I don't know Nori, but he is not our kin nor king he has always been. He's truly gone mad with greed."

~`~

Feeling a puff of very warm air blow wisps of hair away from his face, Kili awoke with a start seeing a dragon snout before his eyes. 

“OH! Oh. Sorry Fee, it’s not every day I wake up with a dragon breathing in my face.” Curiously, the little human reached up to feel the long braided whiskers that draped over the golden dragon’s snout.

“I like waking up with you every day, Kee.” Fili cooed nuzzling the tip of his snout against his mate’s belly. “I wish I could hold you in my human arms again, but...”

“I’m sorry, Fili. I know everything’s my fault. I always mean to do the right thing, but I always manage to screw up somehow.” Kili climbed into Fili's open claw offered to him.

“I’m sorry I ever doubted you, Kili. I was told to never trust humans. When I met you, I couldn’t understand why my kin hated humans so much because you seemed so weak and needy.”

“Hey!” Taking a moment to reflect on the first few days of their meeting, the pampered prince had to agree. “Well, I guess I was, but that wasn’t easy trudging through the forest in that horrible storm!”

Fili grinned. “I based my judgment of all humans on you, and I was sorely wrong.” Again Kili took slight offense, but he understood what his mate meant knowing what his father had put the dragon through. “My kin hated and feared humans. I was reminded repeatedly to never stray far from our lands because they were afraid of being found again.”

“What do you mean, _again?_ ” As far as Kili knew, dragon never existed until now, so Fili told his mate the truth of their ancient past. 

“Thousands of years ago, humans, elves and dragons all lived near each other. But when the humans found out how hard our scales are, they began slaughtering us to craft armor from our scales and skins. The elves and humans also wanted to take our gold and gems. So we slowly retreated, fleeing to the far reaches to the west of your realm having them believe the dragons had gone extinct.”

Kili felt ashamed to be human hearing a dragon’s side of the tale. The fairytales he heard as a child told of a wondrous world of terrifying dragons attacking humans, and brave human warriors defending their mountain home.

"I admire you for your loyalty to your kin even through the torture they placed upon you.” Kili tried to hug Fili the best he could for his size. “I’m sorry for what my father has done to you. And he's never harmed me in any way before. I know I was wrong to go to the elves, but I've never seen him so vicious. I've never know him to be so greedy either that he would torture someone to get what he wants from them! I was so afraid he was going to kill you, Fili, I was so scared for you! I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

“I wanted to kill him for what he did to you.” The dragon grumbled, then wondered. “Let me see your back.”

Kili pulled off his tunic and turned around letting his mate take a closer look. “Gandalf did excellent work healing you though I can still see how badly you were wounded.”

Gently Fili laved his tongue across Kili’s back. This time the little human did not flinch or pull away. It felt _good_. The softness of the dragon’s long tongue was soothing, and comforting. 

Tears came to Kili’s eyes feeling overwhelmed again thinking about everything weighing so heavily upon him. “Fili, I’m so sorry!” He cried. “I’m sorry for what they did to you. I’m sorry for going to the elves making promises I can’t keep that now only going to make things worse for my people! I’m sorry I said I’d help your kin!”

Tipping his head, Fili began to worry. “You don’t want to help us?”

Kili knew it sounded bad, so he quickly tried to explain. “No! Yes! I do want to help you, I’m just…I’m just…scared.” 

Fili felt relieved. Of course Kili was scared, and he had every right to be afraid. “I understand. To be honest, I’d be afraid too because those black dragon are wicked, as well as you are so small.”

“It’s not just the size of you dragons or the fact they are evil that scare me, Fili. Though it does, but I told you I always manage to screw things up. I’m so afraid I’ll do something to ruin this quest for you and your kin!”

Fili grinned with pride. “You honor me and my kin. I’m proud of you. I’m proud to call you my mate.” With a little flick of the dragon’s tongue, Fili whisked away some of Kili’s tears from his blushing cheek. “My mother and father, all the dragon leaders as well as every dragon will see with you putting yourself in such danger for our cause that not all humans are evil.”

Kili jumped out of Fili's strong claw and tried to hug his dragon mate again. "Fili? What's going to happen to us? I mean, our bodies are so different from one another now. How are we ever really going to be _together?_ "

The reminder of their differences left the dragon's heart aching once more. "I don't know, Kili. Maybe we really aren't meant to be. We'll find out for sure when we visit Arwen, the Keeper of Hearts. She will know for sure, and will bind us together as one if it is so. All I know is how much I love you, and if Arwen does bind us, then maybe she will know how we'll work this out." Kili felt the odds of them being bound together slipping away. "Kili, I want to go to her before you go into Saruman's cave. I have to know you are my One." 

"It won't change anything, Fili. I'll still try to free Yavanna, and retrieve the Arkenstone regardless of what Arwen says. Why do you want to know before I do this? Is it because...you want to know in case I die?" 

Fili didn't want to admit it, but "Yes. I can't imagine you not being my one, but I need to know. I am the last golden dragon born. There are few other female golden dragons left that could potentially be my One. I had just come of age when the dragon silk enchantment was placed upon me, so I never got to spend anytime with them to know if..." 

Being royal and the only heir of his father's, Kili knew what Fili was hinting at. "I understand. I am the last direct descendent of my father's. My baby brother went missing when my mother disappeared when I was very young." 

"I guess I never cared to think about having an heir because we dragons are immortal. Maybe because my mother and father sheltered me so, I figured I would never fade." The realization of immortality struck them both at the same time locking eyes. 

"Fili, I'm mortal. I only have another sixty, seventy, eighty more years at best to live. You...you'll live forever after I'm gone." Kili slumped down on the ground leaning against his immortal lover. "We've been lying to ourselves. There's no way we were born to become one another's true love. How old are you? Really?" 

Fili hesitated to say, not that any number would matter now. "One thousand years. But Kee, I just came of age turning one thousand, and fate brought us together, don't you think that means something?" Kili was reluctant to reply. He just climbed back into Fili's claw and curled up wishing none of this had ever happened. 

~`~

Once Gandalf was awake, it was time for the three to continue flying toward the west. The leader of grey dragons seemed more quiet than usual as they flew piquing Fili’s curiosity.

“Why so quiet, Gandalf? You worry me, it isn’t like you to be so silent.”

“I’m worried about what your mother will do to me when she sees you.” The elder grumbled.

“What do you mean? I assumed she would be overjoyed to see me again.” The thought of his mother being unhappy to see him upset the little dragon.

“Not as a dragon. The queen's orders were for me to bring Kili back with me. Not you. She specifically said you were to remain far away from here, safe in your human form, Fili.” Gandalf knew they were going to be in deep trouble with all of the leaders when they returned.

Fili shook his head. “It is not your fault I broke the dragon silk enchantment! Mother will have to understand that!”

“Indeed. I fear it won’t be pleasant for either of us when we first arrive when she sees you this way, but she’ll understand eventually…I hope.” The grey let out a deep breath focusing on their path toward home. "The only thing that will make her forget about you being a dragon again will be the fact we've both exposed our kind to the humans."


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Humans and dragons and elves oh my!  
> Fili and Kili will go to Arwen, the Keeper of Hearts to see if she will bind them as one.

Balin read the ancient scroll trying to decipher the cryptic messages embedded in the text. Feeling the presence of his large warrior brother standing over him, the white haired scholar continued to read waiting for the questions he was sure to come.

“What is it, Balin? What did you find?”

“A prophecy. The coming of an all-powerful evil being is said to corrupt good souls turning them against their own and bringing war between three races in order to wipe out all that is good.” Balin felt a chill knowing most likely this is what has happened to Thorin.

“I also found something else of great importance. It says beings from these different races will have to learn to work together to end this evil, or it will destroy every living thing in Middle Earth.” The look Balin gave Dwalin told the warrior all he needed to know.

"Fili and Kili? Dragon and human...But you said it mentions all races...who could the elf be?" 

Balin tapped a finger on the oak table and sighed. "That my dear brother, is the problem. Kili is the only one who has any clout with the elves to discuss this matter with them, and he is long gone." 

Dwalin took a deep breath, and stood a bit taller gathering his thoughts. "Then I will find Kili. He may be the only one Thranduil will listen to in this matter." 

"But the prophecy leads me to believe it is leaders that are the ones being corrupted. We're not even sure if Thranduil has been affected by this evil yet, but either way, Kili would most likely be in danger if he tried to speak to Thranduil about this, and we are running out of time. By the time or if you even find Kili to send him to speak with the elves, it could be too late." The old scholar feared this wasn't going to end well for any of them. 

"Legolas." Now the quest was clear in Dwalin's mind, and he knew what he must do. "If you believe we are running out of time, I will seek out the elf prince myself. Then we'll try to find Kili. Getting to him with all those dragons around may not be such an easy task though." Dwalin motioned for Nori to go ahead. "We'll leave immediately. Promise me, Balin, you I will not speak a word of this to Thorin." 

"That goes without saying, brother." Balin stood from his chair to give his younger brother a hug hoping this wouldn't be the last time he saw him alive. "Mahal watch over you." 

~`~

The second Dis laid eyes on Fili, the dragon queen exploded on the grey dragon leader. "Gandalf! I thought I made myself very clear that Fili was NOT to come back with you, and was NOT to come back as a dragon until the Arkenstone was destroyed and Saruman was either defeated or returned to himself! Isn't that the enchantment you placed upon him? Why was the spell was broken? What have you done?!"

Fili spoke quickly in Gandalf's defense. "Mother! It's my fault! Gandalf had nothing to do with breaking the spell! I broke the spell. I changed myself with the amulet he gave me." 

The golden queen's head snapped around to face her son. "Fili, why would you do such a thing? Your father and I sent you away under that enchantment for your protection, and it is not safe for you to be here now! And oh my baby, what's happened to you? You've been wounded!" 

Dis was even more enraged seeing Fili's injuries, yet her concern made her stop shouting at everyone long enough for her motherly instincts to take over as she began to tend to her son's back where his scales were missing. 

"I'm sorry I broke the spell, but I'm not sorry because I did it to protect my mate." Fili felt the tension growing amongst everyone in the den. "I'll be alright, Mother. Gandalf healed me amazingly well, though I admit I'm still very weak and sore. 

The female looked between the dragons eyeing the small human form somewhat hiding near Fili's hindquarters. "So you are the human my son believes is his One. Come closer. Let me have a look at you."

Fili knew even if his mother wasn't as incensed as she was now, she most likely was a fearsome creature to Kili's eyes. "Mother, please don't frighten him. This is Kili. He is going to help us save Yavanna."

Kili stepped forward as Dis lowered her head to get a better look at him. "What is so special about this one, Fili? He seems...puny."

Instantly insulted, Kili furrowed his brow, but he wasn't about to let this infuriated female dragon know how he felt. "Your majesty, I am in love with Fili. And to prove my loyalty to him and your kin, I am willing to risk my life to free the keeper of life." It wasn't often Kili ever bowed to another, but the human prince knelt before the dragon queen as a show of respect hoping dragons understood the gesture. 

"Kili is not like other humans, Mama. He is kind and caring for others. He is the Prince of Erebor, and yet he has promised he would give up his crown for me. He owes us nothing, but if he is willingly to put himself in such perilous danger, doesn't that tell you something about his character? I know his heart is true to me, and I love him too." Kili smiled shyly looking up at Fili. "We are going to Arwen as soon as we can before Kili goes to Saruman's cave." 

"If your love is true, I insist you be bound together before Kili leaves." Dis finally calmed down. She was truly grateful for Fili's human's willingness to help them. The queen looked around eyeing Kili once more before turning around to return to Frerin's side. "Thank you, Kili. I will trust Fili's judgment of you. I wish you well little one, for we are all depending on your success. Do not fear, you will not be alone in your quest. There will be many dragons nearby ready for battle if anything should go wrong, but I'm afraid Fili will not be one of them. It will be much too dangerous for him even more so in his weakened injured state which I want a full explanation of later." Fili and Kili both knew Dis was going to want to unleash her wrath on Thorin when she found out what he had done to her son. 

"Fili will remain here with his father." With one look of warning the golden queen stifled her son before he could protest. 

"Gratitude, Mother." Fili gave a nod to his mother, then Kili before he too went to lay at his father's side. "Please hold on, Father. Hopefully Kili will free Yavanna so she can heal you as soon as she is well again." 

~`~

Thranduil sat upon his throne looking down on his son. Legolas pleaded with his father not to attack the humans after his outriders had reported to him after seeing what the dragons had done to the mountain kingdom. 

"All the better for us to attack them now when they are so vulnerable! Where does your loyalty lie, my son? Why would you care so much the state of the humans, hmm? After all human's stole your wife and abused her as a slave! And there are many more elves held prisoner in their dungeons and others used as slaves in their halls for those selfish abhorrent creatures!" 

Legolas watched his father begin to descend the stairs from his throne. "Then I will lead an army to Erebor as you wish, Father." 

"On second thought, Legolas. Since Prince Kili has yet to return with the location of a new mine for us as I doubted he would, with this knowledge that dragons still exist in our world, I have another plan for you. The ancient dragons were once keepers of vast wealth of gold and gems. I assume wherever they are now, they could have even more than what they had thousands of years ago." 

"You knew dragons were real?" Legolas couldn't believe what he was hearing. For thousands of years of his life, he had believe dragons were nothing but tales and myths. 

"Yes. I was but a very young child when the dragons disappeared. We assumed they had gone extinct." Memories of the dragons slowly returned. "The magical abilities some elves possess came from the dragons. The grey dragons, if I remember correctly." 

Turning toward Legolas with a stern look the king gave orders to his son. "Legolas, you must find those dragons before Thorin does. We will claim their riches as our own before the humans can reach the caves. Kill any dragons that get in your way, except for grey dragons you may encounter. Bring any greys you can capture to me." 

~`~

It was good to be home again though Fili truly missed his human body because he longed to hold Kili close to him again. He missed the way it felt to kiss as humans do, and of course he wanted more than anything to mate with his human again which was literally impossible now. 

Climbing over the sticks and layers of leaves, grasses and moss which made up Fili's nest, Kili found an exceptionally comfortable soft spot to stretch out on right in front of Fili. "This isn't so bad!" Kili smiled looking up at the familiar crystal blue eyes that were much larger and even more beautiful catching the light of the warm fire burning in his corner of the dragon den. 

"I'm glad you're doing well here. I was worried about you." Fili was relieved to see how relaxed Kili seemed to be at the moment lying there on a fairly large patch of cushy dense moss. 

"Don't worry about me, Fee. I'll be fine." Though doubting how fine he would be come tomorrow, Kili wanted to put that out of his mind for now and enjoy what little bit of alone time he could spend with Fili. The silence between them began to concern Kili watching how the dragon's mood seemed to fade into sadness. "What is it, Fili?" 

"I wish I could touch you again." No sooner had he spoke, a tiny smirk appeared on Fili's face piquing Kili's curiosity. "What's that look for?" 

"We may not be able to mate, but I want to pleasure you, Kili, and I just thought of what I can do for you." Kili was completely intrigued now, but knew exactly what Fili had in mind when the dragon's long tongue slithered out to playfully lick his cheek. "Something I know you thoroughly enjoyed when I was human." 

~`~

At dawn, Fili helped Kili find something to eat for breakfast before they left his family's den to pay a visit to Arwen. The graceful red dragon Arwen was the keeper of hearts. She was the only one that would know whether or not a couple had truly found their one and only true love. 

In reading the stars, the keeper of hearts would also be able to _feel_ it in her heart and decide whether or not a couple should be bound together forever or if they were mismatched, she would turn them away leaving them to continue their lonely search for whom they were truly destine to be mated with.

“So you believe this…human is your One, Fili?” The lovely dragon had doubts from the moment she laid eyes upon the tiny human. Never before in the history of dragons had a dragon been bound to another that was of a different race of beings. 

And of course Arwen knew Fili had just came of age before he was put under the dragon silk enchantment, so it was very possible the young golden had confused his feelings upon meeting this human.

“I do, my lady. This is Kili.”

Kili bowed graciously to the lovely female dragon who returned a sweet smile. “I believe Fili is my One, as well, my lady.” 

“Well then, I shall get right to work, and see how the stars align for you.” The smile fell from her face, as Arwen turned away to begin creating a spell to use in reading the stars. She already knew these two were not destine for one another, but she went through with the spell.

After quite some time, the red dragon went back to look upon the young golden prince and the small human male. Being as kind and courteous as she could be, Arwen explained to them what she saw.

“Fili, Kili, I am…very sorry. You are not meant to be together.”

“But…” Kili’s heart ached at the words he did not want to hear.

Fili shook his head at Kili. “I should’ve known. There was no way a human and a dragon could have ever been one another’s true love, Kili. You didn’t know I was a dragon when we…fell in love. But I did. I shouldn’t have let this happen.”

The little dragon laid down allowing Kili to do his best to hug him. “I don't understand! I felt it in my heart that we were meant to be! I don’t want anyone but you, Fili!”

Fili never felt so distraught in all his life hearing what he feared from the start. His heart felt as if it had been ripped from his chest at the tender touch of his human trying to hug him seeing his tears having to speak the truth. “I'm so sorry, Kili. I am a royal dragon, and have known since birth I would only be bound to my One. I cannot give you my heart if it is not meant to be.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili says farewell to Kili and Dis as they leave for the mountain of the black dragons to prepare for their quest.

The armies of Erebor had been dispatched in three directions uncertain of exactly where to find the realm of the dragons though they knew their lands were to the west. Nori led his men in the direction of the cabin where they had found Kili, Bifur led his men through the center of the forest, and Dwalin with plans of his own headed in the general direction of Mirkwood. 

They knew it would take two or three days at least to even reach the dragon’s realm. Neither men nor elves ever ventured this far from their lands assuming there was nothing of value for them there making a safe haven for the dragons for thousands of years separated by the vast dense forest between their lands as well as caves veiled in magic. 

The elves sent two armies towards the west to find and claim the dragon caves as well as capture any grey dragons to bring back to their king to use for their magic. One of the armies led by Legolas, ventured a little more north of the other. 

The elf prince was uncertain how he felt about this quest his father had sent him on having never seen a dragon himself he was rather nervous about the creatures, and it wasn’t only fear. Something felt wrong about capturing the magical grey dragons. The young prince hoped they would not have such an encounter placing him in the position to do as his father ordered, for he did not see this as a moral thing to do to another immortal being, beast or not. Hopefully they could find caves filled with treasure enough to satisfy Thranduil’s desire. 

~`~

Once the shock of knowing Kili was not his one faded a little, Fili somberly went to his mother to tell her the news. Dis was not surprised, and she knew how heartbroken they both were now. With sympathy she tried to comfort her son wrapping a gentle wing over him, but there were no words to comfort him. Breathing a sigh of distress, Dis felt Fili's sorrow and knew it was time she and Kili must take their leave. 

"I promise to protect Kili to the best of my abilities." The beautiful golden queen used her gentle claw to lift Fili's face towards her own. "Take care of your father for me, son." A faint smile graced her face before she nuzzled him. "I love you, Fili." 

The little dragon leaned into his mother to feel her warmth and hear her heartbeat one last time before she went off to battle. "I love you, Mama." 

In the corner of the large den, Kili stood waiting his turn to say farewell to his dragon friend. "I'm packed, and ready to go. I guess this is farewell for now. I hope I shall return in one piece."

"I believe in you." Fili felt so useless not being allowed to go with the others to fight, and of course seeing this small human willing and ready to go made him feel worse about it. "You're going to have our best warriors backing you. Best of luck to you, Kili."

With a slight bow to the golden prince, Kili turned to leave only to stop leaving Fili with words that gripped his heart. "Fili...I want you to know in case I don't return...I still love you with all my heart, and will never want for another." Kili hurried away not wanting to hear a reply. It would hurt too much, and the time had come to focus on the perilous task ahead. 

~`~

Riding on Gandalf's back flying toward the foreboding mountain of the black dragons, Kili never thought he could feel any more dread than he did at the ominous sight of so many dragons keeping guard both on the ground near the cave entrances and those circling high in the grey sky above. 

Kili could only pray to Mahal the guardian dragons backing him had some sort of strategy he was to use to get passed these monstrous creatures patrolling the exact area he was to enter. Knowing the cursed leader of the black dragons wielding the most powerful evil object in their world was hidden deep within the vast mountain cave, the sickening reality of what he was about to do made his stomach twist. 

“Gandalf…I don’t feel so good. Are you sure you want _me_ to go in _there?_ M-Maybe I’m not the right human for this quest.” Even though he wasn't ashamed to admit he was terrified, Kili had a deeper reason for feeling so ill at the moment.

Gandalf tipped his head in question. “Are you trying to back out now, here at the eleventh hour, my boy?” 

"No, I'm just worried I'm not going to be able to...I know how important this is. To everyone...that I help free Yavanna, and I don't want to screw this up." 

"Ah. It is one thing to be apprehensive because it is a natural emotion to have being put in such a position, but it is very noble of you indeed to worry more about the success of this quest." Gandalf grinned with satisfaction. He had more confidence in Kili than the human did in himself as they moved about to get a better view of the cave entrance. "Fili was right about you." 

Kili swallowed thickly wishing Fili was at his side right now. The white dragon leader Galadriel flew in to land next to Gandalf peering down at the young male human. 

"He is but a boy. You risk much, young one. Valiant and noble are you." The pearlescent dragon glowed as if she were a dream herself that mesmerized Kili. "Before I arrived, I had a vision I must share with you, little one. There will come a moment when your judgment will be clouded, and you will have a fight within your mind to do what is right. I pray you will find the purity in your heart calling forth your inner strength to fight the evil I am sure Melkor will try to use to control you." 

A deep overwhelming feeling of dread shook the young man to his very core. "I am ready." There was no need to stand around worrying about what was to come. Kili wanted to go before he had much longer to think about it. 

Dis, the keeper of time regarded the other dragons leaders. "Let us begin then. I know I should never use my powers in this manner, but it is crucial to our quest. Galadriel, send dreams to those that guard the cave, and I shall stop time for only three seconds to give Kili enough time to enter the cave safely. Kili, you will not be affected by my spell, so act swiftly before the spell breaks. When we begin, make your way toward the cave, and the second you hear Galadriel speak to your mind, go. What you do from there is all on you." 

"Yes, my lady." Kili glanced around at all three of the enormous dragon leaders standing around him as he shifted his shoulders to adjust the bow and quiver slung over his back. 

"You do not see them now, but there are thousands of dragons from every clan waiting to battle the black dragons that will surely attack. Beware that even if you are successful, you will still be in danger from the fight that will be surrounding this mountain. It is not known the outcome of this war, but fear not that if you survive someone will find you and take you back to Fili." Dis saw the light dim in Kili's eyes. 

"Kili, though you are human, and I did not approve of idea of you and Fili being bound together, I see now how wrong I was about you. Fili did see something special inside you. I want you know that I knew how much Fili loved you. If you are to die this day, at least you can leave this world knowing you held someone very special's heart for a moment in time." 

The queen was right. The thought of dying no longer weighed heavy on Kili's mind knowing how much Fili truly loved him. What more did he have to live for in this world without Fili? So if this day he should meet his end, his life would have been complete for the time he spent on Middle Earth with the one he truly loved. With a bow, Kili thanked the three dragon leaders giving them his blessing as well as he began his journey down the hillside toward the dark mammoth mountain cave. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry so short, but the quest and battle is about to begin which will be rather lengthy so stay tuned for chapter 20! Hopefully I'll have it out sometime late tonight. Thank you all so much for reading, and the kudos and comments are very much appreciated <3


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kili makes his move to free Yavanna, and the dragon battle begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't get this out last night as I'd hoped, but I do hope this chapter was worth the wait!

Slinking through the thick forest trees with precision and skill, Kili tried to recall all of his hunting technics. His lithe build made him a stealth predator as he approached the cave. As he closed in on the tree line getting a better view of the four dragons guarding the entrance, Kili’s heart raced at the sight of how fierce and ferocious these dragons were compared to the others.

They were elegant and deadly. The curse they were under surely is what made these creatures so wicked though their beauty was evident. The human prince had been told how important these dragons were to the world as keepers of destruction, and they were not the evil beings they appear to be now. 

Without them, wildfires and storms would not be contained and would destroy the world they lived in, but now under the control of Melkor’s evil talisman wielded by Saruman, they held the power to unleash those storms. 

_‘This is it.’_ Kili thought to himself. There would be no turning back once he was inside the dark foreboding cave. With intense focus, the world went silent around him. As the faintest whisper from Galadriel touched his ear, Kili padded silent and swiftly passed the black dragon guards.

The three seconds Dis, the keeper of time was able to stop time she allowed only herself, Kili and Galadriel the ability to move while the rest of the entire world ceased all movement. Kili held his breath until the moment he had made his way far inside the mouth of the enormous cavern. Once inside the young man exhaled, breathing heavily as sound of the world filled his ears again. Taking in the sight no human had ever seen, Kili took this time to reflect on that fact. 

Being allowed into the secret cavern of the golden dragons, seeing their vast amount of gold and gems. To be allowed to sleep in the royal golden dragon's den, and now seeing the depths of the keepers of destruction's cavern was more than any fairytale he had ever been told. The small human in comparison was in awe of these mighty beings. 

These caves were designed for the shear size of the dragons, leaving plenty of room for multiple dragons to enter and exit at a time. Though the path Kili would now take as his nerves began to calm, would begin to narrow winding around deeper into the darkness. There were few fires burning to light the way, so watching his footing was a must for one wrong step in here could be his last if he were to tumble off one of these ledges. 

With his raven hair and dressed in dark clothing, Kili was camouflaged against the mostly black stone walls of the cave. Twisting and turning through the tunnel, Kili stopped and plastered himself against the cave wall hearing the rumble of a large dragon that had just entered the tunnel flying from behind. For moment after seeing the enormous black dragon fly by him completely unnoticed, he had to catch his breath. This first encounter was definitely a good sign he might be able to pull of the quest after all. 

~`~

Dragons representing every dragonflight amassed throughout the forest waiting to ambush the black dragons when the order to attack would be given. With patience of steel they waited for the order to attack to come, but knew it would take much time for the human to even find Yavanna. 

Dragons from every clan, red, green, grey, white and gold mixed amongst themselves knowing each of their special abilities would work best when they worked together. They used this time wisely to plan out their battle tactics. Luckily for them, the forest canopy was dense enough to hide them to the eyes of the patrolling dragons in the air around the mountain.

The red dragon leader, Elrond flew in to land with the other three leaders bringing them news of encouragement how well the dragonflights had worked together so far and were ready for battle. 

Dis was grateful and spirits lifted with his report. “This is a good sign indeed. We must keep positive thoughts in our minds. Galadriel, do you think you could speak to Yavanna to warn her of Kili please? We do not want her to be startled by the sight of the human. She needs to know he is there to help her, and that we are all out here ready for battle.” 

Doing as asked, Galadriel moved away from the others to find a place to focus and place herself into the dreamlike state sending the message to Yavanna’s mind. The great green dragon stirred hearing the gentle voice in her mind. For a moment the keeper of life thought she was truly dreaming before realizing she had indeed received a clear message from the keeper of dreams and visions. 

Hope filled Yavanna’s heart she would at last be freed, though she still worried in her weakened state how she would be able to fight Saruman if he were to attack wielding that talisman. It was a small artifact, and hopefully she could wrench it from his grasp. Planning her attack filled her mind giving her strength and hope now. 

~✩☾✩~

At last Kili had found the first group of dragons gathered in a large hall. Studying the way they carried themselves and moved about, the hunter in him learned what he could. Fili had pointed out the exact spot in which his arrow would need to hit in order to damage or kill a dragon. It wouldn't be an easy shot, but at least he knew taking down such a gigantic foe was not an impossible feat. 

As the hunter continued on, he realized quickly from this vantage point viewing the wide open cavern from where he hid high above the hall below, the cavern was filled with so many corridors and tunnels, he wasn’t sure how long it would take to find where he needed to be. Assuming Saruman’s lair would be hidden the deepest in the cave secluded for safety, finding Yavanna first to hopefully help him was crucial, but as night fell, his mortal human body grew weary, and he needed to find somewhere to rest safely before he continued on in full strength. 

The dragons on the outside of the mountain took turns resting and sleeping as well. They knew this wasn’t going to be an easy task for Kili, so graced with patience they waited. Kili found a little nook he could crawl into completely hidden and safe from all eyes, he was able to relax and sleep as soundly as possible. 

~☼~

Elven guards scrambled to their feet alerted by the sound of approaching horses cantering through the wooded trail. "Legolas! Someone's coming!" The elven prince jumped to his feet taking a battle stance with an arrow notched and ready to loose on the intruder should they be a foe. 

"Leoglas!" The gruff voice of the stranger shouted out as he jumped from his mount. "Prince Legolas, I'm glad I found you so soon. I am Dwalin, army leader of Erebor, cousin to King Thorin, and I come in good faith to speak with you on a very important and urgent matter." 

Guards surrounding Legolas glanced at their prince for instruction. "It is unlikely to find a human army so far from home this far into this part of the forest. What is this matter you speak of?" 

Dwalin laid down his weapons near his horse and took a few steps forward with caution. "Could we speak in private? Please. It is extremely important I speak with you." 

Seeing the large warrior unarmed begging for a word gave the elf reason to believe he spoke truth. "I will walk with you. Bowman stand guard. I'm sure this won't take long." Legolas met Dwalin half way as the two walked away from the others. "What is so important that a human so close to the king of Erebor wishes to speak with me?" 

"I have been given information that we are all in great danger. The dragons. You know of the dragons?" 

"I do." 

"This is also the reason you are in this part of the forest, are you not?" 

"What we do is our business." Legolas studied the human's face hanging on every word as Dwalin explained what Balin had told him, and what would be the fate of all if they didn't not all work together to help the dragons defeat Melkor's plan. Legolas found it all hard to believe, but couldn't find any other reason why a human would risk so much to find him and share this information if there wasn't some truth to the matter. 

The thought of such evil destroying the world was dire indeed, and though he wasn't convinced, he did reflect on the actions and words of his father before he left. There was the possibility Thranduil had begun to be corrupted as Dwalin explained of Thorin and one of the dragon leaders that held the evil artifact. 

"What do we do?" As the vivid blue eyes of the elf prince looked into his own, the tension left Dwalin knowing he held the elf prince's trust and Legolas was ready to join them in doing whatever they could to defeat this evil. 

~`~

Fili laid at his father’s side. It hurt him to see Frerin looking so helpless and weak. His father was the most magnificent, brave, strong and powerful dragon of all the dragonflights. There wasn't much he could do to help Frerin, and it frustrated him. In his restlessness, anxiety filled him not knowing what was happening far from his home. Thoughts of Kili being successful in helping the dragons retrieve and destroy the Arkenstone gave the little dragon hope, but darker thoughts that his human friend could perish further frustrated Fili knowing he could not be there to fight and defend Kili while he lay here watching his father fade.

Fili stood and leaned forward to nuzzle his father's face. "Forgive me, Father. I do not wish to leave you this way, but I know you are safe here. I cannot let everyone else go to fight while I lay here waiting and wondering what has become of them all. I know you would understand, it is not our way to not try and defend our own. I love you. I promise I will return with Mother." The little dragon took one last look at his father giving him purpose to leave him. Yavanna's freedom also meant his father would have a chance for survival. 

Flying from the mouth of the golden dragon's cave, Fili took to the air flying in the direction of Saruman's black mountain. 

~`~

As Kili awoke somewhat refreshed, he crawled from small hole in the cave wall, and began making his way down the path becoming more nervous the closer he came to the hordes of black dragons gathered below. All the way down, the hunter tried to decide which path to take to continue his search for Yavanna. First he calculated which entrance had the least amount of dragons near it, but then he heard anguished cries coming from one particular tunnel opening. 

The sound pierced his heart knowing the cries had to belong to Yavanna for no other dragons he had heard while in the cave carried that pitch nor sounded so pitiful. The tiny human scurried behind rock formations and loose stones hiding and blending whatever it took to remain unnoticed by the mass amount of dragons as he found his way into the tunnel following the sorrowful cries.

The tunnel was long and dark which worked to his advantage lurking in the shadows as he continued on to find where the cries would lead him, but as he found his way to the end of the tunnel he froze in utter fear at the sight of four massive black dragon warriors guarding Yavanna trapped in a small area.

What was worse was the sight of an even larger more fearsome black dragon trying to mount the beautiful green female dragon as she cried out for help. Kili recalled being told of how the black dragon were stealing Yavanna’s eggs, her children that were dying. 

It was because these vile black dragons were experimenting to crossbreed their genetics to create a new more powerful breed of dragon to fight against the other dragonflights with orders given my Saruman through messages received from Melkor. 

Keepers of life and destruction would be the ultimate dragons bred for one evil purpose. To build an army of dragons to destroy them all. This breed of dragon would decide who lives and dies without conscious. Many of these eggs perished before they were hatched causing Yavanna much pain and devastating anguish over the loss of life.

Disgusted by the sight, Kili felt sick, and knew he had to put a stop to this now. Closing his eyes to focus, he visualized exactly where each dragon stood, and the angle at which he needed to hit them going for the kill. 

Notching his first arrow, the tiny human leaned around the corner of the tunnel lining up his first shot. Kili held his breath and released the arrow. Flying with precision, the arrow pierced its target with deadly accuracy, as a second arrow followed in swift pursuit taking down another unsuspecting dragon. 

Catching the dragons off-guard worked to the hunter’s advantage having a third arrow ready to loose on the third dragon heading straight toward him. As the third dragon roared falling to his death, the fourth and fifth dragon were ready to fight. 

Deafening roars echoed off the cavern walls as Kili tried to loose another arrow before he found out unexpectedly another deadly skill these dragons possessed. A stream of fire shot from the mouth of one of the dragons as the other ran faster toward the fleeing human, the ground shaking as the behemoth chased after him.

“Oh fuck! Why didn’t anybody tell me they were fire-breathing dragons?!” Kili ran as fast as he could readily finding a crevasse to dart into like mouse scurrying into a mouse hole fleeing from a cat, he concealed himself deep within the break in the wall completely disappearing from the eyes of the enraged dragons pursing him.

After the two dragons had gone by, Kili ran back into the open cavern room to find the remaining black dragon holding Yavanna’s neck in his powerful jaws waiting for his return.

“Let her go!” Kili pleaded knowing his pleas were in vain.

Yavanna’s eyes wide with fright bore into Kili’s soul. There wasn’t anything he could do, but surrender to save her life. The monstrous black dragon watched the tiny human intently as he began to lay down his bow, catching the dragon unaware moving at the speed of light an arrow pierce the black dragon’s eye and then another hit to kill.

Yavanna fell to the ground heavily as the black dragon released her from his jaw as he too fell in death. Kili ran to the green female. Kneeling beside her, he ran a gentle hand across the torn bleeding scales of her neck checking for further injury. 

“Are you alright?” he asked as he looked back toward the tunnel opening.

With a hoarse voice, the green dragon pushed herself up. “I am now, thanks to you. We must get out of here or we will be trapped in here!”

It wasn’t long before Yavanna and Kili realized how much danger they really were in now. The two dragons that had chased after Kili had alerted the rest of the dragon horde gathered in the great hall. Not only were the dragons ready to ambush them as they exited the tunnel, scores of other black dragons began to stream out of the mountain cave assuming correctly this was another attempt to attack them. 

Galadriel already had a vision of what was to come, and the amassed dragonflights outside the mountain were ready to attack. On command from Queen Dis the skies thundered with thousands of dragons flying into the air from the surrounding forest shredding trees as they burst through the canopy exposing themselves ready to battle.

Gnashing razor sharp teeth, and talons set, dragons of every clan fought fiercely working together using all their special powers and skills. The skies began to cloud as the keeper of destruction called forth the violent thunderstorms.

Deep inside the mountain, Kili and Yavanna felt the tremors from the raging battle ensuing around the mountainside. Kili looked to Yavanna for her support feeling so helpless and small now. 

“Kili, we have no other choice. We have to find Saruman, and take the Arkenstone from him to stop this madness! It’s the only chance any of us have for survival now!” Yavanna was weak, but her will was strong. Kili jumped onto her back holding tight to a lifted scale as the green female darted passed the awaiting black dragons heading straight for the tunnel she knew led directly to Saruman's lair.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yavanna and Kili fight Saruman as the battle outside the mountain continues.

Flying over the mountain ridge across the hills and dense deep forests below, Fili tried to restrain himself from flying too fast. It was a fairly long journey across the land from his cave to the black dragon’s mountain, and he didn’t want to waste any energy he may need to fight considering he had already been weakened by the beating he received in Erebor. 

In the distance, the golden dragon saw movement which we did not expect here in this part of the forest. As he drew near, the objects below became clear. What Gandalf had feared was coming true. Man and elves had entered the dragons’ realm.

“Oh no…this can’t be!” There was no way the little dragon alone could scare them away. For his own safety it was best to continue on his way. Seeing the darkening skies in the distance, Fili was certain the battle with the keepers of destruction had begun. “Oh Kili…I hope you're alright.”

Legolas yelled for Dwalin pointing at the sky. “Did you see that? A dragon! A golden dragon!” It was the first live dragon Legolas had ever seen making their quest all so very real.

Dwalin did see, and he was sure without a doubt the dragon they saw was Fili. Even from a distance, Dwalin recognized the markings along the dragon’s shoulder blades as the same tattoos the little blond man had inked into his skin.

“Yes. I see it. We must follow that dragon.” The human warrior looked behind them a few horses back, and smiled at the redheaded she-elf as he thought to himself. _’I’m not sure if Kili was with him, but I’m confident we will find him.’_

~ ⚡ ~

Yavanna soared across the great hall dodging and knocking away black dragons trying to catch her. Kili’s fingers turned white holding onto the hard scale as tightly as he could trying to lay low. The sleek green dragon narrowed her body, and dove with precision directly into the tunnel leading to Saruman’s lair.

Catching the fearsome black dragon leader Saruman completely unware, he stumbled backwards losing his grip on the Arkenstone only to recovery it again quickly. In the chaos of the moment, Kili slipped from Yavanna’s body unseen as Saruman’s sight was consumed by the emerald female charging straight for him, hissing and gnashing her dagger-like teeth.

“Saruman! Let go of that talisman! It has cursed you and taken over your mind!”

“Never!” Saruman’s great wings flew forward causing a sudden windblast sending the female tumbling back far across his lair crashing into the cave wall with much force knocking her to the ground. “The Arkenstone is mine! And as keeper of the elements, I am the greatest most powerful dragon in Middle Earth! Any who dare to challenge me will fall!”

Kili panicked for a moment seeing Yavanna hurt and faltering to get up from the cave floor for she was already weakened using what strength she had to get this far. He kept an eye on the entrance to the den knowing any second more black dragons would be coming to their leader’s aid. They were going to be trapped unless he could get the stone away from Saruman. 

Using his size to his advantage, Kili maneuvered his way behind Saruman trying not to get hit by the long tail lashing about trying to get into a better position to keep the talisman in his sight. Seeing the enormous dragon’s talons wrapped so tightly around the glowing stone, he was beginning to lose hope he would be able to steal the artifact from the ferocious beast.

Outside the mountain, the battle raged on as every dragon from every clan fought relentlessly knowing their entire existence rested on this moment in time. Gandalf fought alongside the others keeping an eye on the cave entrance, hoping to see their brave little human again.

A couple young grey dragons flew right for Gandalf gaining his attention. “Gandalf! The elves!” One of them shouted as the other continued. “The elves have captured one of our brothers! King Thranduil was with them!”

The first grey dragon added even more to their story. “And there was another group of humans not far behind the elves! What are they all doing here?! How did they find us?!”

Gandalf looked around at all the fighting surrounding them. Seeing Elrond, Dis and Galadriel holding their own, the old wizard took off with the younger greys with hopes of recovering one of their own.

~`~

Dwalin and Legolas had no idea they were about to run into Thranduil's army that was just ahead of them as the elves had turned to go back to Mirkwood with their captured dragon. Thranduil had led his army further north than Legolas when they left, but the band of humans and elves had changed their course to follow the golden dragon they had seen in the sky early that morning.

At the first sight of human warriors heading towards them, the elven army charged them, but came to a halt when Thranduil ordered them to stop their attack when Legolas rode his horse between the human warriors to take his place next Dwalin on the frontline. The miserable painful cries of the captured grey dragon startled the company of Dwalin and Legolas. The elven prince looked around before addressing his father.

"What was that?!" Even though he was sure of what had made such pitiful sounds just before they saw the large grey dragon being forced along breaking through the trees of the forest trying to pull out of the ropes that bound him, blood running from the wound beneath his jaw. "Father! Let it go, please! It will die!"

The smirk on Thranduil's face grew. "I was right about you, Son. I knew you wouldn't have it in you to capture a dragon as I had ordered you to do. That's why I took it upon myself to do so." The Elven king tipped his head looking at Dwalin staring furiously at him. "Why are you with these _humans?_ Is it not bad enough you disregarded my orders, now you're siding with humans?"

"We are on our way to find the dragons. To help them." Legolas hoped his father would be understanding though he was sure he would not. "The dragons are at war with one another, and we are going to help them! Go with us! Help us!" 

"Why would you want to _help_ dragons?" Thranduil's tone was dripping with revulsion for his son's concern for the beasts. 

"Their existence... _and ours_ depends on their success in saving one dragon, and we are going to help them!" The elven prince knew by the dark look his father gave him, Thranduil was not only not going to help them, but he could possibly be planning on attacking them now.

"My only desire is to drain the greys of their magic, destroy the others and acquire the caves of the golden dragons for their wealth! I will rule this world! And you, Legolas my son, are a traitor siding with humans and dragons!" Thranduil's cold tone warned them all.

The grey dragon shrieked as roars from the sky echoed across the forest. The enormous grey leader Gandalf and the captured dragon's two brothers had descended upon the elves hovering in the sky.

"Release our brother, and we will not destroy you!" Bellowed one of the greys. Gandalf eyed Dwalin. He knew he had seen this human before, and he astutely noticed how his human warriors were mixed with a separate band of elves. 

Curiously the old wizard questioned their business. "What are humans and elves doing riding side-by-side in the realm of the dragons?"

Dwalin answered quickly also realizing he had seen this dragon before. This, he remember, was the dragon that freed Fili from Erebor. "The elven prince, Legolas and I are leading our troops to aid the dragon's cause! Help us find our way and we will fight for you! Is Kili safe?"

Thranduil's turned swiftly to look at the human warrior as Tauriel from further back in their group perked up to hear. 

Gandalf swelled with a bit of confidence in the human warrior. "We are not sure of his progress, but your brave prince has already gone into the black dragon's cave to save Yavanna. Free our kin here, and come with us!" 

When Thranduil was not looking, Legolas had silently slipped from his horse to pull his father from his mount. Thranduil's guard immediately drew their arrows aimed at the prince. "What is this you wear?!" Legolas ripped the fine chain holding the glowing jewel from his father's neck. 

"Give that to me!" Thranduil tried to retrieve the item. The jewel was radiant glowing with pure light. "It was a gift given to me to give me great power!"

Dwalin recalled some of what his brother, Balin had told him from reading the ancient scrolls. "Who gave you that _gift?_ "

"That is none of your business human! Legolas! Give it to me!" Thranduil reached out grabbing for the jewel as Legolas backed away.

"You are not yourself when this gem is in your possession!" Legolas found a leather pouch to place the gem in packing it away with care. "Please Father! Rid yourself of those evil thoughts you've been given! Return to the great king and father you once were before this was given to you!" 

~`~

Saruman was preparing to unleash a stream of fire aimed at the injured Yavanna when Kili made his move. He had been informed to do his best not to kill Saruman to do so only if he had no other option. Finding the perfect position to aim for the black dragon's tender spot just beneath his jaw, Kili angling his shot just so the arrow would not penetrate deep enough to kill but only to wound the corrupted leader. 

Loosing the arrow just before the fire escaped Saruman's throat, it did just as he'd hoped. The arrow knocked the black dragon back. As he reached for the tiny arrow protruding from his neck the blood gushed from the wound. Kili shot another arrow into another unprotected area near the dragon's claw that held the Arkenstone. Then another toward the dragon's neck for good measure landing right next to the first. 

The agonizing pain in his wrist caused Saruman to release the talisman. The glowing stone bounced once sliding across the smooth stone floor of the den. Swiftly Kili darted beneath the gigantic dragon to recover the gem trying to stay out of the black dragon's vision. 

Yavanna rallied seeing what was happening without Saruman's knowledge. "Go!" She cried. Kili wavered for a moment then bolted across the den through the tunnel with Yavanna trying desperately to follow behind. When Saruman was finally able to pull the arrow from his neck and wrist, the enraged dragon spun around and around trying to find his precious gem. Assuming Yavanna had taken it while still wondering where the arrows came from, the behemoth chased after the emerald female through the tunnel. 

Galadriel's vision prompted her to consult with the golden dragon queen. Dis called for her golden warrior dragons and Yavanna's green healer dragons as well as a few of the grey, white and red dragons to follow behind them. The cave entrance was unguarded now, as the multitude of dragons flew into the mouth of the cave in search for Yavanna and Kili. Instantly the dragons were met by hundreds of black dragons as another battle inside the mountain began, however there were a few dragons that slipped by to search the tunnels when they heard the green dragon leader's roar. 

Going to Yavanna's aid, she screamed at them to help her find Kili. Once he was found, one of the golden dragons snatched him up in their claw as the smaller band of dragons escorted the green dragon leader from the black dragon's cave. The rescuers and Yavanna had barely made it outside when a flurry of black dragons erupted from the mouth of the cave. The wind and rainstorms stopped, only to be replaced with fire falling from the sky. 

Dis twirled around flying higher into the sky dodging the fireballs screaming at Galadriel and Elrond. "Where is Gandalf?! We need him! We can't fight against their fire without him!" 

~`~

Bifur's troops had met up with Nori's men as their men continued on toward the black dragon's mountain seeing the flashes of lightening surrounding the area. They could hear the roars in the distance, and assuming where there were dragons, there would be caves Thorin desired to acquire.

"Nori! Are you sure we should continue into those storms? Maybe we should wait it out!" Bifur's thoughts were logical, but Nori knew Thorin was leading his own troops not far behind his own, and the king would not be pleased to find them stopped here like cowards.

"We have to keep going!" It wasn't long after the men continued on that the skies in the distance began to turn red...with fire.

~`~

Approaching the edge of where the battle between dragons was raging on, Fili flew high above them observing the horror. Never having seen war in his lifetime, the little dragon was terrified for everyone involved. His sense of protectiveness for his own overtook the little golden warrior as he dove straight through the fighting scanning the area in search for his mother or any of the leaders. And that is when he caught sight of what he was sure he would never see again... _Kili._

The raven haired prince was standing near the mouth of the cave staying away from the fighting dragons seemingly unharmed, and he was holding something else Fili never thought they would see. "Kili! He did it!" Fili said to himself beaming with pride for his little human friend. "He saved Yavanna _and_ got the Arkenstone!" But the golden dragon knew the battle was not over yet. 


	22. Chapter 22

The evil within the Arkenstone radiated from the gem glowing with an alluring serene beauty that enchanted its keeper. Melkor spoke to the mind of the one who would possess the talisman. The powerful spell that emanated from the stone that was still controlling Saruman and his followers, was also trying to take hold of its new keeper.

Relatively small to a dragon, the Arkenstone was rather large for a human. Holding it with both hands, Kili couldn’t take his eyes off the glowing gem. The powerful evil flowed from the talisman through Kili’s hands being absorbed into his veins, it slowly began to control his mind as it had done to Saruman. 

The voice in his head was that of Melkor telling him lies about everyone around him. Telling him how great and powerful he was. How he would help Kili rule this world of dragons, men and elves, if only he would obey his commands.

This trick of the mind was working so far. Thoughts of greatness danced about his mind. Kili wanted to be important and magnificent like his father. He wanted to be loved and adored by all. He wanted the world to bow to him, and do his bidding. He could have anything and everything he desired now with possession of this great gem made of starlight Melkor had graciously gifted him with.

It was the same trick the evil being played on the minds of the kings Thranduil and Thorin. The great kings may have inherently had their differences born from the deep roots of their ancestors, and of course fighting over land, mines and wealth was nothing knew, but they were clearly not themselves at all after the ‘gifts’ they acquired from Melkor. Without realizing what had happened to them, their greed for wealth and power not only fueled them against one another, but against their own people including their kin.

Thorin’s men finally caught up to Nori and Bifur’s troops nearing the edge of dragon’s battle zone. The fireballs falling from the skies igniting some of the brush and trees made the humans stop dead in their tracks. None of them had ever seen the likes of this horror before, and they hadn’t even seen the dragons' war yet. 

“What are you waiting for?! Go!” Thorin bellowed at the men.

“It’s raining fire! We can’t go in there!” Nori, Bifur and a few others shouted back pleading for their king’s sanity to return.

"Treason! I order you to go through this forest now! I must find the Arkenstone!” It was obvious Thorin had no concern for anyone. 

When the warriors’ horses began taking a few steps backward, Thorin shot a look at Nori then Bifur. “If you will not order them to go…”

Nori rode his horse up next to Thorin’s. “I’ll go with you. No one else needs to go.” Looking back at his men, Nori shook his head. Knowing this was an impossible task, Nori had little to no hope of returning, but wanted to spare the lives of the rest of their men. "Don't wait too long for our return." Giving a nod to Bifur, the other captain would watch over their troops as Nori followed Thorin into the fire laden forest.

~`~

Fili flew straight to Kili ignoring the dangers surrounding him. “Kili! You did it! Come with me, and we’ll find Mother and the others so they can begin to destroy the stone!” 

Kili held fast to the stone staring into the depths of the glowing gem speaking to his mind. “No! You want it for yourself!”

“Kili! No! That talisman needs to be destroyed! Come with me! Climb on!” Fili landed next to his friend waiting for him.

Yavanna was having her own struggles trying to fight off Saruman who was still trying to kill her snarling and clawing at the injured female. Elrond called for some of his red dragon warriors to assist him as he went to her aid. Galadriel had already flown off to look for Gandalf leaving Dis alone to fight her own battles at the top of the hillside overlooking the forest and the fighting within and above surround the mountain.

When the golden queen caught sight of the small golden dragon near the mouth of the cave, she panicked. “It can’t be! Fili! What is he doing here?!” 

“Kili give me the Arkenstone! I must get it to my Mother! Kili!” 

“It’s mine! Why would I give such a powerful thing to a filthy dragon?!”

“Kili? What’s wrong with you? It’s me! Fili! Come with me!”

Kili tipped his head looking at the little dragon. His mind raced between what he knew and what the voice in his head was telling him, being pulled in both directions the human prince couldn’t decipher what he should believe.

Dragons began dropping from the sky injured and dying as the fighting intensified with bolts of ice slammed into the black dragons trying to stop their fire spells. Blood rained from the skies from razor sharp teeth digging beneath the scales to rip open flesh.

Red, white, grey, green, gold and black dragons were dying all around her as Yavanna still fight for her life from Saruman’s attacks she saw Kili holding the Arkenstone frozen in a trance like state. The green dragon knew what was happening to him, and there was nothing she could because she didn’t want to draw attention to the little human holding what this war was all about.

Fili began to fear for both of them realizing no one had noticed them…yet. “Kili, we have to get out of here!” He had no idea what power Kili may possess holding the talisman, but he couldn’t leave him standing down there in the middle of this epic battle. 

Scooping Kili up in his claw, Fili flew away from the mountain dodging fire, ice and flying dragons darting here and there fiercely biting and clawing for their lives. That’s when he saw his mother fighting alone on the hillside overlooking the forest. “Mother!”

“Fili! No!” With dread, Dis screamed watching her most terrifying fear unfolding before her eyes. The little golden dragon almost made it to his mother when Saruman swooped out of the sky, and snatched Fili up in his powerful jaws. Kili tumbled from Fili's claw crashing to the ground as the black dragon lifted the little dragon into the sky. 

Thorin and Nori's path led them to the hillside behind Dis. The two men gasped in horror at the sight of the thousands of dragons battling over miles of forest surrounding the mountain. The pained roars coming from Fili forced the men to look up seeing the enormous black dragon holding the little dragon in it's teeth while trying to fight off the large fierce golden female who had flown into action fighting to save her son. 

Then Nori looked back down seeing a much smaller figure standing on the hillside. "Thorin! Is that Kili?!"

Thorin's eyes lit up at the sight, but not for the safety of his son. He was enthralled by the gem Kili held in his hands. It was what he desired most, and risked all to find.


	23. Chapter 23

Dwalin saw the fire raining down on the forest in the distance set on the path they were taking. From his perspective, there was no way around it. Fires lit the forest and the skies. By now Thranduil was returning to himself as the powerful evil spell that had enchanted him was almost fully gone from his mind and body. He too paled at the sight.

“Gandalf!” The large warrior shouted. “What’s going on?” 

The elves and men didn’t have the same view from the ground as Gandalf did from the sky.

“The black dragons have begun using their fire spells to fight the others.” Taking a moment to observe what he could see from here, the old wizard grinned proudly. “My greys are fighting back with ice spells! Excellent!” 

Suddenly Gandalf saw Galadriel flying towards him, worrying the old dragon knowing she would never leave the others. They were not too far away from the battle zone, and the elves and men were now beginning to rethink the idea of pressing ahead.

“Gandalf! We need you! Dis asked me to find you, we can’t fight this without you!”

It had been over a thousand years since Thranduil had seen any dragons, but was stunned by the glowing beauty of the white pearlescent female. Galadriel looked down from the sky locking eyes with the elven king reading his mind.

“The poison still runs through you though you will recover soon.”

Legolas spoke in his father’s defense. “I have taken the talisman from him. Will you take it from me? Please?” 

Reaching for the leather pouch, Legolas left his horse to walk up the hill in the clearing giving the white dragon a room enough to land and retrieve the item from him. 

“Thank you. We will destroy this as well as the Arkenstone, but there is still one missing.”

~`~

Thorin jumped from his horse and started toward Kili. “Kili! Give that to me! I need it!”

Kili saw Thorin coming toward him, and cradled the gem close to his chest. “It’s mine! Get away!”

Stopping for a moment, Thorin could see immediately Kili was not himself. “Please, Kili! We can share it! You and I could rule this world together, but you must give it to me!”

Hearing the aggressive roars from Dis, and the pained fearful roars from Fili high above them, Kili looked up for a moment. Suddenly Elrond began attacking from behind as Galadriel and Gandalf flew in swiftly from another direction.

“Saruman has Fili! Gandalf, do something!” Galadriel tried to send a dream spell to Saruman, but he was immune to it. 

Gandalf saw Kili below holding the evil talisman. “We have to destroy the Arkenstone! Kili put the stone down!” 

Elrond shouted out orders to some of the other dragons to surround the men on the hillside. “Everyone has to work together to destroy the stone at the same time! Dis, we need you too!” It was then he noticed even some of the black dragons had given up fighting. With their leader’s loss of the talisman, the evil within them had begun to fade returning them to themselves.

Shouting at a few of the sleek onyx warriors, Elrond asked them to help. “Dragons of the elements! Stop the fires! Stop the winds! Stop the fighting!”

Thorin spun around seeing at least ten dragons of various colors landing all around them. Nori wanted turn, and flee into the forest but stayed back on this horse watching. Galadriel saw Nori, and knew he might be the only hope they had in taking Thorin’s talisman, the one identical to the one given to Thranduil. 

The keeper of dreams and visions sent a mental message to the captain of the guard, telling him to take the talisman from his king. Without hesitation, Nori jumped from his horse and charged toward Thorin. He knew exactly what the dragon was asking. He had seen the strange trinket hung around his king’s neck and wondered. 

Ripping the chain from his neck, Thorin turned on Nori fighting him trying to take it back. “Thorin! Stop! This is what has been corrupting your mind! Help Kili!”

Suddenly the little golden dragon was flung from Saruman’s jaws speeding toward the ground. Dis instantly dove toward her son trying to stop him from crashing into the earth, but he caught himself. 

At that moment Saruman saw Kili for the first time taking note of the fact this was the creature who had stolen his talisman. “You! How dare you take what is mine _human!_ ”

The black behemoth began his decent aiming for the human below when Dis tried to fly between them to save Kili. 

“Mother! No!” Fili flew down shoving her out of the way as Kili ran away from where he had been standing in time for Saruman to swat Fili down slamming him into the ground. Looking up at the black dragon standing ominously above him, Fili gasped for air and pleaded with Kili. 

“Kili…that stone…is evil! You…are not evil!…find it in your heart to let it go, and help the others destroy it!”

Kili’s eyes dart between Fili and Thorin, then he looked all around seeing everyone including the black dragon snarling at him ready to swallow him whole. Then he heard Fili speaking to his heart. He closed his eyes to focus on his heart, and his own voice deep inside his _good soul,_ not the voice in his head remembering the warning Galadriel spoke of before he entered the cave. 

“Kili, I love you! I promise I won’t leave you if you just let go of that stone! Remember how you loved me? We can still be together, I don’t care what anyone says or thinks about us! Please let go of it! Come back to me!”

The evil within Saruman had already been fading from him, but he was still not free from the corruption. “The golden dragons killed my son, and I will have my revenge!” His teeth like daggers clamped down hard on the little dragon puncturing his flesh where the scales had gone missing as Fili roared in pain and blood gushed from his wounds.

What seemed like a hundred arrows flew through the sky pelting Saruman, most of which did not phase the large beast, but enough to stop him from attacking Fili. The elves and the other band of humans had arrived. 

Kili’s eyes flew open at Saruman’s words seeing his beloved being attacked, he threw the Arkenstone up into the air. Gandalf threw out a spell to suspend the stone in the air as the other dragons threw out their own unique spells to destroy the talisman. Galadriel tossed Thranduil's talisman in the same direction, and shouted at Nori to throw Thorin's talisman toward it as well. The three gems would be destroyed together. 

Yavanna laid on the ground below the hillside fading from her injuries. Seeing the talisman being destroyed gave her hope as she reached out with her own spell to help them even if it would be her last, they needed her spell to complete the destruction of the stone.

Gandalf shouted to her. “Dis! We need your spell, hurry!” Dis closed her eyes and felt the spell she needed to end this flow from her hoping Fili would still be alive when this was over.

Kili didn’t know how or what he was doing, but he looked toward the talisman hanging in the air glowing even brighter as the spells from all the dragons worked to destroy it. 

Across the hillside Thorin saw Dwalin, Thranduil and Legolas watching the events unfolding as well. “Nori! What is Dwalin doing with those elves?!”

Nori smiled. “He knew the elves needed to be here to help end this as well.”

The Arkenstone and the other two gems burst into a million tiny sparkling particles floating down to the earth, and Saruman froze looking at his wounds. The evil was gone. For now Melkor had been defeated. Not knowing exactly what had happened to him, the keeper of elements looked around at the carnage, and began to weep.

“What has happened?” He asked. “What have I done?”

Gandalf shouted orders to the greys and greens. “Healers! Help Yavanna now! Hurry!”

Legolas looked at Tauriel and gave a nod. “Go. All of you healers that can help, go now!” 

The great emerald dragon, the keeper of life Yavanna was fading fast having drained what little strength she had left to destroy the Arkenstone. The healer dragons and now Tauriel and the other healer elves surrounded the magnificent being. Working together, they were able to restore Yavanna’s light within her bringing her back to the world. 

Kili fell to his knees and crawled over to Fili lying still on the ground blood pooling around him. The young prince cried and laid his head on Fili’s neck trying to hold him the best he could. “Fili! I love you! Don’t leave me! Not after all we've been through, please! I need you!”


	24. Chapter 24

Dis finally made her way over to Fili. Seeing his wounds, the distraught mother roared with sorrow. Kili looked at the golden female with tears streaming down his cheeks. 

“He’s dying! Isn’t there anything someone can do to save him?!” Kili wouldn’t give up on Fili. He knew he couldn't go on living without him. 

Galadriel saw their fading prince, and call for more green and grey dragons who hadn't been drained of their powers as well as the elves to see if they could try to save Fili now. 

Tauriel asked Kili to stand next to her while she placed one hand on Fili's chest, and her other hand over Kili's heart. “Let your love for him flow through me.” 

At once Gandalf along with the grey and green dragon healers began their healing spells as Tauriel and the other elves chanted giving what healing powers they had left to the dying dragon. Kili closed his eyes and prayed to Mahal _“Save him…please…”_

Kili's love for Fili came from deep inside his heart. The energy flowed from him through Tauriel filling the golden dragon with love and hope. The bleeding stopped as the flesh wounds began to heal and life was returning to him. 

Taking a deep breath, Fili whimpered for a moment until Kili ran over to his face running a soothing hand over the soft braid laid over his snout and kissed him. “I’m here, Fili! I love you, and I’ll never leave you!”

The dragon closed his eyes and managed a little grin as he flicked his tongue out to give Kili a lick, and whispered, “I love you Kili.”

With the three talismans destroyed, the controlling evil left Saruman, Thorin and Thranduil completely. Dwalin was still wary as Thorin approached him while he was still sitting on his horse next to Thranduil and Legolas. 

"Thorin! It is over!"

"I know. I wanted to thank you, Dwalin." Looking back at Nori, he added. "And you Nori. For not always listening to me when my mind was not my own." With a nod to Thranduil, the elven king acknowledged the human king with nod in return.

Thranduil slightly bowed to his son. "And gratitude to you, my son. You saved me from falling into darkness, and opened my eyes." Looking over seeing the redheaded princess walking towards them going to her husband's side, the king tipped his head to her as well. "Gratitude to you as well, my dear Tauriel. You have made us elves very proud. You truly have a gift." 

Elrond flew over and landed near the kings. "You should all be very proud of what your children have done to save our world. Fili, Kili, Legolas and Tauriel have shown us all what it means to put aside our differences and work together!" Looking around at everyone, focusing on the kings, the red dragon leader, keeper of knowledge added. "We can all learn from them."

When the king of Erebor saw his brave and noble son, he wanted to fall on his knees, and beg forgiveness. "Kili! Oh, Kili, I'm so glad you're alright! Forgive me, my son. My apologies to you for everything I've done wrong to you." Thorin was afraid to approach Kili knowing how badly he acted, but the young prince fell into his father's arms accepting his apologies knowing it wasn't his fault he acted as he had. 

~`~

Yavanna saw for herself what a powerful healer the elven princess Tauriel was, and asked if she would help her and Gandalf heal King Frerin. Fili leaned against his mother praying to Mahal after all the healing of such devastating wounds to Yavanna and himself and so many others, Frerin’s life would be spared as well.

The great golden dragon had been moments from leaving their world when the healing spells began. Kili stood away from the dragons watching the magic unfold. When it didn’t look like whatever the healers were doing was enough to save Frerin, he remembered what Tauriel did to save Fili.

“Tauriel! Touch Dis like you did me when you saved Fili!” Tauriel’s eyes lit up.

“Dis, come here!” Lying a hand on the golden female at the same time she touched Frerin with the other, the spells begin to work. Frerin's eyes fluttered open for the first time in months looking upon the face of beloved, Dis. 

Fili looked at Kili and smiled. “Love is the most powerful element in the universe.”

Yavanna smiled at Fili and Kili, and agreed. “You’re right! Love is infinite.”

~`~

After all was said and done, Fili and Kili realized even if they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together knowing they were not one another’s true love, how awkward their lives together would be living in these such different bodies. 

The dilemma continued when Kili had also pointed out to Fili the fact that he was immortal, and would most likely live alone for thousands of years long after Kili had passed away. A lifetime of loneliness was destine for the little dragon if he chose to stay with his mortal lover.

Frerin, Dis, and the other leaders felt their grief for what fate they had been dealt. Frerin, Yavanna and Gandalf brought Fili and Kili before Arwen, the keeper of hearts once more. 

"Arwen, seeing all that these two have done for us, as king and Fili's father, I ask you to reconsider your final decision concern the fate of Fili and Kili's future, please." Frerin gave a gracious nod to the young red female, and stepped back. 

Yavanna spoke to the two young ones. “Seeing all that you have done, and the obvious love you share between you, I cannot imagine a world that would deny your love because of such differences between you.”

Kili looked at Fili uncertain of what the emerald female had in store for them, but it sounded promising. 

“Kili, thousands of years ago it was humans that drove us dragons into hiding. But you have shown us, not all humans are evil. There are those of you who are good, and can look passed differences of others to find common ground, and fight for what is right. I was told how you returned the she-elf princess so selflessly knowing how angry your father would be with you, and I know the love you hold in your heart for Fili regardless of the fact he is a dragon. You are worthy of this special gift I bestow upon you…immortal life…may you never grow old or fade until Mahal calls you home.”

The words so unbelievable, Kili looked around unsure if he had heard clearly. “Forever? I can be with Fili forever?” Yavanna smiled graciously without answering.

Gandalf poked Fili getting his attention. “And a gift bestowed upon you, our brave dragon warrior! I am granting you for the first time in our history, the ability only magical grey dragons have every possessed…Dragon Silk. You will have the ability to transform into a human _anytime_ you wish!” 

Fili was ecstatic over being granted such an amazing gift. He knew everyone had done so much for them, and felt a bit selfish to ask, but caught up in the excitement of it all, he figured it couldn't hurt to ask. "You've all done so much for us, I hate to ask for anything more, but seeing as you've given me to ability to become human whenever I wish, and Kili is immortal now, would it be too much to ask if Kili could transform into a dragon?" 

At first Kili was afraid, but understood after hearing Fili out. He guessed it could be fun. "This way we could share in each other's worlds. We can visit Thorin and everyone in Erebor as humans, and Kili as a dragon could feel more at home here with us." 

The dragon leaders glances around at one another, and concurred. "We don't see why not!" Kili would be granted the gift of Dragon Silk as well. 

The second Gandalf finished the permanent spell gifting Fili with this special ability, the golden dragon transformed into the human male Kili fell in love with. The beautiful golden haired man with the perfect tattooed muscular body stood naked somewhat shyly before his human mate. Kili blushed, and took Fili's hands in his own as they stood before one another leaning their foreheads together they waited for Arwen to complete her spell. 

Arwen went to work right away to begin her star spell, this time not to ask if they were meant to be each other's One because this she already knew the answers to that. After seeing what the star already showed her of what their futures had in store for them, Arwen began to rewrite their love in the stars herself. "Fili, your One has not been born yet. Her destiny will be rewritten binding her another. Kili, unfortunately, your One has already passed away. You would have spent a lifetime alone searching for her if you had not crossed paths with Fili. From this day forward, nothing or no one shall ever come between you, Fili and Kili. You were indeed meant for one another!" Written in the stars by the keeper of hearts. she bound the lovers together forever. A gift they earned for their bravery, loyalty, trust, hope, and love that saved their world.

~`~

Fili and Kili walked into the throne room of Erebor approaching the dais, they both knelt before the king. Thorin jumped from this throne gathering the boys into his arms greeting them with mighty hugs, and hearty laughter. "My boys! So good to see you again!"

Fili was still having conflicting feelings about Thorin, but knew he would get over it in time. Always reminding himself, Thorin was under Melkor's spell whatever he had done to him, was not who he really was at that time. 

Kili was beaming, and bouncing with excitement. "Where are they?!"

He no sooner asked, and the door behind them opened. "Mother? Kini?"

After having Tauriel returned to them safely as well as all other elven slaves, with all that happened in the world, Thranduil found it in his heart to release Thorin's wife and son sending them back to Erebor also releasing all other human slaves as well. 

Kili's mother and brother had already been living in Erebor for a month now adjusting just fine to being home where they belonged. Seems as though Kili had nothing to worry about giving up the idea of being Thorin's heir as his young brother already found his one soon after his return to Erebor. 

~`~

Fili hissed at the warm body pressed against his back, then he hummed turning over in their small bed. "It's so good to be home, Kee!"

"Home is wherever you are, Fili, but yes, I am glad to be back here with you again!" Kili smiled letting Fili nuzzle his face before they slipped into a precious embrace, kissing sweetly with much love. 

It had been some time since the two had been intimate with one another, and though they both wanted it again something felt different now. They were shaky and awkward with each other at first as if they were virgins not knowing what to do. 

Fili combed his fingers into Kili's long hair brushing it back to look upon the face of his true love. Kili lifted his eyes shyly to meet his lover's sparkling blue eyes. "Make love to me, Fili." The blond rolled his mate over, their bodies pressed together yearning to become one. It didn't take long for the lovers to fall into a state of euphoria lightly caressing one another's warm skin. Hot kisses trailing across beards, down necks biting and suckling dark markings into their skin while fingers found their way down their bodies to wrap around their cocks stroking themselves until they were hard and achy for more. 

Kili let Fili's fingers slip into his entrance preparing to take him. "I can't wait to feel myself inside you again, Kili." The brunet reached up gently bringing the blond down to kiss him feeling the pressure of Fili's cock filling him. He rolled his hips up taking him in deeper. Kili panted "More...you feel so good..." 

"Let's take our time and enjoy how amazing this feels." Fili smiled rocking his thick cock into his lover slowly. "We have forever remember?" And he meant it. Over an hour later, they lasted as long as they could before helping one another climax rubbing their cocks together between their bodies coating themselves with their warm seed. 

Lying there in a blissful mess, Kili didn't want to ruin their moment sounding silly, but he had to ask. "Fili? When I'm a dragon, will I have as much stamina as you?" Fili looked at him a bit puzzled. "Hmm...I don't know. We'll have to try and find out later!" Fili seriously couldn't wait to find out. He couldn't get enough of his Kili. 

After spending sometime in their little wooden tub cleaning up, they laid back down on their bed. Resting his head on Kili's chest, the brunet tenderly ran a hand over the blond's curls. Fili looked into his mate's sweet doe eyes entwining their fingers together. "Are you sorry you gave up your crown to live here secluded in the mountains with me? I mean, Thorin was more than willingly to let us live a life of luxury in Erebor. I hope you wouldn't regret that decision."

"Not at all! Technically I'm still royal being your mate 'n all." Fili had to chuckle the way Kili just had to point that out. "I love you, Fili. I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you here in our little cabin! As long as I'm with you, I'll be happy wherever life takes us. You and me..."

"I love you too, Kili. Together forever, my One." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they lived happily ever after - The End!  
> Thank you so so much for the comments! Thank you all for the kudos and everyone for returning to read my updates continuing to read my crazy fairytale story! 
> 
> Just a little fyi concerning this story if you were wondering - I 'borrowed' the idea of the talisman using the Arkenstone in place of a talisman used in World of Warcraft called the Dragon Soul.
> 
> If you love fantasy stories, I recommend reading any of the World of Warcraft books. The lore of the game is way better than the game itself, and though knowing the game could help understand the books better, you really don't need to play the game to enjoy the books. Very cool lore, and I'm also excited about the Warcraft movie coming out next year (except for the fact the Fili impostor Rob whats-his-name is in it =P). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you! You can find me on Tumblr: http://reallywhatisreality.tumblr.com/

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments are welcome!


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